Method for transferring material with adhesive onto articles with a difference in degree of curing between the material and adhesive

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to apparatuses and methods forapplying a transfer material onto an article, including apparatuses andmethods of transfer printing onto and/or decorating three-dimensionalarticles, as well as the articles having the transfer material thereonand/or which are decorated thereby.

BACKGROUND

Various apparatuses and methods of printing are disclosed in the patentliterature and on the internet. Patent publications disclosingapparatuses and methods of printing include: U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,654,Jennel; U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,352 B2, Sawatsky; U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,822B2, Finan; U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,408 B2, Uptergrove; U.S. Pat. No.7,373,878 B2, Finan; U.S. Pat. No. 7,467,847 B2, Baxter, et al.; U.S.Pat. No. 8,522,989 B2, Uptergrove; U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,402 B2,Uptergrove; U.S. Pat. No. 8,667,895 B2, Gerigk, et al.; U.S. Pat. No.8,714,731 B2. Leung, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 8,899,739 B2, Ohnishi; U.S.Pat. No. 8,919,247 B2; Mogavi, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 9,303,185 B2,Sambhy, et al.; and US Patent Application Publication Nos. US2009/0207198 A1, Muraoka; US 2011/0232514 A1, Putzer, et al.; US2013/0019566 A1, Schach; US 2014/0285600 A1, Domeier, et al.; US2015/0022602 A1, Landa, et al.; US 2015/0024648 A1, Landa, et al.; andEP 1163156 B1, Johnson. Other types of apparatuses and methods includethe apparatus and method disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Pub No. US2012/0031548 A1, “Apparatus and Method for Applying a Label to aNon-Ruled Surface”, filed in the name of Broad.

A number of current efforts are being directed to printing, particularlyinkjet printing, on three-dimensional articles such as bottles and thelike. Some current printing apparatuses and processes use ink jetprinting to print directly on three-dimensional articles. Unfortunately,with current inkjet technology and current printing apparatuses, thequality of labels that can be formed by printing directly onthree-dimensional articles is not as good as that formed on separatelyprinted flat labels. Further, such printing processes may only be ableto accurately jet ink short distances (e.g., several millimeters) fromthe print head. Therefore, if the article has surface features thatdiffer in height or depth by more than such short distances, the inkjetted by an ink jet print head will not be accurately applied, leadingto defects in print quality.

Other processes for applying ink to three-dimensional articles aretransfer processes. In these processes, ink is first applied to atransfer surface, and then the image is transferred from the transfersurface to the article. Current transfer processes may suffer from thedisadvantage that they are not well suited to transfer the image fromthe transfer surface to articles with complex three-dimensional shapesand/or which have surface features that differ in height (or depth) bymore than a limited extent.

A need exists for improved apparatuses and transfer methods for applyinga transfer material, such as printing, decorations, or other substancesonto three-dimensional articles.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to apparatuses and methods forapplying a transfer material onto the surface of an article, includingapparatuses and methods (or processes) of transfer printing onto and/ordecorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles havingthe transfer material thereon and/or which are decorated thereby.

In some cases, the processes comprise:

-   -   providing at least one three-dimensional article which has a        surface;    -   providing a deposition device;    -   providing a transfer component with initial dimensions, a        surface, and an initial configuration;    -   depositing at least one material onto a portion of the surface        of the transfer component with the deposition device to form a        transfer material on said transfer component;    -   modifying the initial dimensions and/or initial configuration of        the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material        thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion        of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and    -   transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the        article.

In some cases, the transfer component may be continuous. In other cases,the transfer component may be a discrete element (that is,non-continuous). There can be variations in the step of modifying theportion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon. Insome cases, the portion of the transfer component that is modified mayhave two surfaces, both of which are deformed (e.g., deflected) duringthe modification step. The portion of the transfer component with thetransfer material thereon may be modified in various different sequencesrelative to contacting the article (or being contacted by the article),including: prior to contact with the article; simultaneously to contactwith the article; after initial contact with the article; and,combinations thereof. Several different types of mechanisms can be usedto modify the transfer component. These include, but are not limited to:(1) conforming components with a cavity therein; (2) mechanisms in whicha portion of the transfer component spans between spaced apartconstraining components that constrain the transfer component in one ormore directions, and the article is pushed into span of the transfercomponent (or the span of the transfer component is pulled onto thearticle); (3) embodiments in which the transfer component may be broughtinto contact with the surface of the article by passing the transfercomponent through a nip that is formed by the surface of the article anda shaped die; and, (4) embodiments which use vacuum, air jets, fluidjets, and the like, or combinations thereof, to bring the transfercomponent into contact with, or in closer contact with, the surface ofthe article.

The apparatus for carrying out the process may comprise one or morefunctional devices at one or more stations for performing a function.The function(s) can be performed on the articles directly, or on thetransfer component to create the transfer material that is transferredto the surface of the articles. The functional devices may include, butare not limited to: one or more deposition devices; optional devicessuch as adhesive deposition devices; devices for treating articles(e.g., devices for treating the surface of articles, or for curingsubstances applied to the articles); devices for decorating articles(e.g., application of a metal foil); devices for transforming a propertyof an article (e.g., laser); or combinations thereof.

The articles having the transfer material thereon and/or which aredecorated by the processes can comprise any suitable three-dimensionalarticles. In some cases, the articles may be plastic containerscomprising a hollow container having an interior, an exterior surface, atop portion, a bottom portion, a front, a back, and sides. (Anydescription relating to the container herein may also apply to othertypes of articles.) The hollow container may be pre-formed in that it isformed prior to applying the transfer material thereto. The exteriorsurface comprises two or more portions that each have a radius ofcurvature. At least two of the two or more portions may be at leastpartially separated by an intermediate portion that has a lesser radiusof curvature than the two portions. In some cases, at least two of thetop portion, bottom portion, front, back, and sides of the article mayhave different configurations. The transfer material may be applied ontoand positioned on top of at least a portion of the surface of thearticle without penetrating into its surface. The transfer material mayextend continuously across at least parts of said two portions and theintermediate portion. The transfer material may be pre-formed (such aswith ink cured and dried) and transferred to the desired portion(s)(such as the two portions and the intermediate portion) of the surfaceof the article. In some cases, at least two or more portions and theintermediate portion are all located on one of the top portion, bottomportion, front, back, or a side of the container, and the intermediateportion is a feature on said exterior surface that has a lesser radiusof curvature than the two or more portions. The feature may protrudeoutward from the exterior surface. Alternatively, the feature may berecessed into the exterior surface. In other cases, the at least two ormore portions are located on different ones of the top portion, a bottomportion, a front, a back, and sides of the container, and theintermediate portion comprises an edge between the two or more portions.In one non-limiting example, the transfer material may wrap around thefront or back of the article and at least one of the sides or the bottomportion of the article. This can provide a transfer material that wrapstwo or more sides of the article (that is, a multi-sided wrap). In somecases, this can provide the transfer material with a cleaner appearancewithout the visible edges typically seen on the front or back ofarticles which have heat transfer labels applied thereto. The transfermaterial can be transferred without a carrier remaining on the articleafter transfer material is applied to the surface of the article.

Any of the embodiments described in this specification may be combined,or provided with any of the features of any other embodiment describedherein in any suitable combinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a flow chart showing one category of processes for applying atransfer material onto an article using a transfer process.

FIG. 1B is a flow chart showing a second category of processes forapplying a transfer material onto an article using a transfer process inwhich at least some of the steps of contacting the article and modifyingthe transfer material occur simultaneously.

FIG. 1C is a flow chart showing a third category of processes forapplying a transfer material onto an article using a transfer process inwhich the transfer material is modified using a shaped nip.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of one embodiment of an apparatus forapplying a transfer material onto an article using a transfer process.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a transfer component having acomposite transfer material thereon.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged schematic top view of one embodiment of a cavityfor an article in which a portion of the transfer component is theinitial state of being drawn into the cavity before the article is fit(at least partially) into the cavity in order to transfer the transfermaterial to the surface of the article.

FIG. 4B is an enlarged schematic top view of the embodiment shown inFIG. 4A with the transfer component drawn flush against the cavity.

FIG. 4C is an enlarged schematic top view of the embodiment shown inFIG. 4A with the article in position at least partially within thecavity.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic top view of a cavity for an article inwhich the transfer component with the transfer material thereon isbrought into closer contact with the surface of the article by exertinga pushing force on the back side of the transfer component using airpressure through a plurality of conduits.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic top view of a cavity for an articleshowing an embodiment for bringing the transfer component into closercontact with the surface of the article by exerting a force on thetransfer component wherein the transfer component is pulled toward thearticle using a vacuum.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an initial step of an embodiment inwhich the transfer component is formed into a shrink tube inside acavity for wrapping the transfer component around an article.

FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a subsequent step of the embodimentshown in FIG. 7A in which the transfer component is wrapped around thearticle.

FIG. 7C is a perspective view of the article with the transfer materialapplied thereto.

FIG. 8 is a schematic top view of a second type of process and apparatusfor conforming a transfer component to the surface of an article inwhich the transfer component spans between spaced apart constrainingmembers and the article is pushed into the transfer component.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an article between a section of theconveyor for the constraining members shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10A is an enlarged schematic top view of one embodiment of asection of the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 showing the article before itis pushed into the transfer component.

FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic top view similar to that of FIG. 10Ashowing the article being pushed into the transfer component.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic side view similar to that of FIG. 10Bin which the transfer component with the transfer material thereon isbrought into closer contact with the surface of the article by exertinga pushing force on the back side of the transfer component using airpressure.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic top view similar to that of FIG. 10Bshowing an embodiment for bringing the transfer component into closercontact with the surface of the article by exerting a force on thetransfer component wherein the transfer component is pulled toward thearticle using a vacuum.

FIG. 13 is a side view of an alternative mechanism for conforming thetransfer component to the surface of an article, which mechanismcomprises a digitally conforming wiper.

FIG. 14 is a top view of a cam mechanism for maintaining the transfercomponent in contact with the article.

FIG. 15 is a schematic side view of a mechanism that uses air pressurein the form of a line of air for maintaining the transfer component incontact with the article.

FIG. 16 is a schematic side view of a mechanism that comprises aplurality of separate air tubes and nozzles for maintaining the transfercomponent in contact with the article.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged top view of an embodiment for bringing thetransfer component into closer contact with the surface of the articlein the process and apparatus shown in FIG. 8 by exerting a pushing forceon the back side of the transfer component using an inflatable bladder(shown in an inflated condition).

FIG. 18A is a schematic top view of a first step of an alternativeembodiment that uses a shaped back-up element configured to furtherconform the transfer component and transfer material thereon to theshape of the article.

FIG. 18B is a schematic top view of a second step of using the shapedback-up element shown in FIG. 18A to further conform the transfercomponent and transfer material thereon to the shape of the article.

FIG. 19 is a schematic top view of a third type of a process andapparatus for applying a transfer material onto an article using atransfer process in which the transfer component is brought into contactwith the surface of the article by passing the transfer componentthrough a nip formed by the article and a shaped element.

FIG. 20 is a schematic top view of an alternative embodiment of thethird type of process and apparatus for applying a transfer materialonto an article shown in FIG. 19 which comprises a shaped nip to conformto the contour of the article.

FIG. 21A is a schematic perspective view of an axially symmetric die formaintaining the transfer component in contact with the article.

FIG. 21B is a schematic perspective view of another axially symmetricdie for maintaining the transfer component in contact with the article.

FIG. 22 is a schematic top view of one embodiment of a process andapparatus for applying a transfer material onto two sides of an articleusing a transfer process.

FIG. 22A is a schematic top view of another embodiment of a process andapparatus for applying a transfer material onto two sides of an articleusing a transfer process.

FIG. 22B is a perspective view of a portion of an apparatus for yetanother alternative embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a side view of a portion of one embodiment of a conveyor thatcan be used in the process and apparatus shown in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a schematic side view of a portion of one embodiment of anapparatus for applying a transfer material to spaced apart locations onthe surface of an article.

FIG. 25 is a schematic side view of an optional step of evacuating theair between the transfer material and the target surface of the articlebefore the target surface of the article and the transfer material arebrought into contact with each other.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a bottle having a Gaussian curvature.

FIG. 27 is a schematic top view of an article such as a bottle where thesides of the article have a portion therebetween (an intermediateportion or connector) that has a lesser radius of curvature than theadjacent portions of the sides of the article.

The embodiments of the method, apparatus(es), and articles shown in thedrawings are illustrative in nature and are not intended to be limitingof the invention defined by the claims. Moreover, the features of theinvention will be more fully apparent and understood in view of thedetailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Introduction.

The present invention is directed to apparatuses and methods forapplying a transfer material onto the surface of an article, includingapparatuses and methods of transfer printing onto and/or decoratingthree-dimensional articles, as well as the articles having the transfermaterial thereon and/or are decorated thereby. The term “process” may beused herein interchangeably with the term “method”.

FIG. 1A is a flow chart showing an example of one category of processesfor applying a transfer material onto the surface of a three-dimensionalarticle. As shown in FIG. 1A, the process comprises steps of: (1)applying a material to a transfer component (for example, by digitallyprinting an image onto a transfer component); (2) optionally applying anadhesive to the material (such as the image) wherein the material andany optional adhesive comprise a transfer material; (3) modifying aportion of the transfer component containing the transfer material aswell as the transfer material (such as by stretching the same); (4)contacting the surface of the article with the transfer material usingthe transfer component (by moving at least one of the article ortransfer component toward the other); (5) optionally performing anadditional physical modification on the transfer component (and transfermaterial thereon) such as by vacuum, air jets, fluid jets orcombinations thereof to bring the transfer component into closer contactwith the surface of the article; (6) optionally curing the adhesive; and(7) releasing the transfer component from (indirect contact with) thesurface of the article, transferring custody of the transfer materialfrom the transfer component to the article.

The term “transfer material”, as used herein, will be used to describethe material that is transferred from the transfer component to thesurface of the article. This term is inclusive of a material alone, or acombination of a material, any adhesive thereon, or other material(s)joined thereto that will be transferred to the surface of the article.If the transfer material comprises a combination of materials, it may bereferred to herein as the “composite transfer structure”. The term“substance” may be used interchangeably with the term “material” hereinwith reference to the material(s) that are deposited on the transfercomponent (and which will form all or part of the transfer material).Typically, a discrete or separate transfer material will be transferredto each article 10.

FIG. 1B is a flow chart showing an example of a second category ofprocesses for applying a transfer material onto the surface of athree-dimensional article. As shown in FIG. 1B, in this category ofprocesses, at least some portions of the modifying and contacting stepscan occur simultaneously. More specifically, the three-dimensionalarticle may be brought into contact with the transfer component, and thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon may be modifiedsimultaneously with the step of contacting. In such a case, for example,the transfer component may be a web which is held in tension, and thethree-dimensional article may be forced into contact with the web toconform the web to the surface of the article. The term “conform”, asused throughout this Detailed Description, does not require exactconformity, and includes partial conformity. There can, however, beaspects of the step of modifying the image that are not necessarilysimultaneous. For example, some aspects of modifying the portion of thetransfer components with transfer material thereon may take place beforethe contacting the article, and then additional modification of thetransfer components with transfer material thereon may take placesimultaneously with or after contacting the article. For instance, theinitial modification of the transfer component with the transfermaterial may occur through simultaneous contact. This can be followed bya supplementary modification (e.g., positive pressure air or vacuum)that may be subsequent to the initial contact rather than simultaneous.Such a subsequent modification could be performed prior to any optionalcuring and releasing. In other embodiments, the order of the modifyingand contacting steps can be reversed. For example, the article maycontact the transfer component, at least for a period of time, beforeany modification occurs. Thereafter, the article may be forced intocontact with the web to conform the web to the surface of the article.

FIG. 1C is a flow chart showing one example of a third category ofprocesses for applying a transfer material onto the surface of athree-dimensional article. As shown in FIG. 1C, the transfer component24 may be brought into contact with the surface of the articles 10 bypassing the transfer component through a nip that is formed by thesurface of the article and a shaped die.

Numerous variations of the order of steps of these processes, as well asmechanisms to carry out the processes, are possible. The order in whichthe steps take place can be varied, and/or the steps and/or portions ofthe different processes may be combined in any suitable manner. Inaddition, any other suitable steps could be added to any of theseprocesses. Suitable additional steps include, but are not limited to:applying a release coating to the transfer component prior to depositinga transfer material thereon; treating the surface of articles, or curingmaterials applied to the articles; decorating the articles (e.g., by theapplication of a metal material); transforming a property of an article(e.g., by laser); or combinations thereof. In addition, if a reusabletransfer component is used, the processes may further comprise a step ofcleaning the transfer component after the releasing step. Suchadditional steps can be added, as appropriate, to either the front endand/or the back end of the processes of the categories shown in FIGS.1A-1C, and/or at any suitable place between any of the steps showntherein.

II. First Category of Processes.

FIG. 2 shows one non-limiting embodiment of an apparatus 20 for applyinga transfer material 22 onto the surface of at least one article 10. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 2 can be considered to be an example of thefirst category of process shown in the flow chart of FIG. 1A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 20 comprises a transfer component 24,a component providing a support surface for supporting the transfercomponent while printing such as cylinder 25, one or more depositiondevices 26, an optional adhesive deposition device 28, a conveyor 30, aconforming component 40, one or more optional energy sources (which maybe designated generally by reference number 50, or more specifically as)50A and 50B, and one or more optional decoration stations 60A and 60B.The decoration stations (which may be designated generally by referencenumber 60, or more specifically as) 60A and 60B can apply any suitablematerial to the transfer component or material thereon, includingmetallic material.

The apparatus 20 can be used to apply a transfer material 22 on numerousdifferent types of three-dimensional articles 10. Such articles include,but are not limited to: containers or packages such as bottles, boxes,cans, and cartons; laundry dosing balls; razors; components of consumerproducts such as razor blade heads and handles; sprayer triggers; tubs;tubes including, but not limited to tampon tubes; and deodorant stickcontainers. The articles may include primary packages for consumerproducts, including disposable consumer products. Additional articlesinclude components of containers or packages including, but are notlimited to: bottle caps, closures, and bottle pre-forms that aresubsequently blown into the form of a finished bottle.

The apparatus 20 can be used to apply material to empty containers,partially filled, or full containers including closed and opencontainers. The method and apparatus 20 can be used to apply material(e.g., decorate) the containers, the closures, or both (separately orsimultaneously). The containers can have a rigid, flexi-resilient, orflexible structure in whole or in part. In some cases in which thearticles are flexible and have an interior which is empty (such as inthe case of some bottles), it may be desirable to blow air or other gasinto the interior of the article in order to pressurize the article,above atmospheric pressure, so that the surface of the article does notyield excessively during the transfer process described herein. Forexample, at least a portion of the surface of the article to which asubstance is to be applied is flexible, wherein the interior of thearticle, which is hollow or partially hollow, is pressurized prior totransferring the substance onto the surface of said article with theresult that the portion of the surface of the article to which asubstance is to be applied is less flexible while being pressurized.Containers such as bottles can be made by any suitable method including,but not limited to blow molding. Such containers may have a threadedopening, an opening configured to accept a snap-on closure, or any othersuitable type of opening. The closures can be made by any suitablemethod including, but not limited to injection molding. Such containersmay be capped or uncapped with a closure when the material is applied.In some embodiments, the material is applied to the container after thecontainer is filled and has a closure applied thereto. In one exemplaryprocess, the container is a blow molded container and the closure is aninjection molded closure, and the container is filled with a fluentmaterial and has the closure applied thereto. In such a process, thematerial may be applied to the container and/or closure at the end of abottling line.

The articles can be made of any suitable material, including but notlimited to: plastic, metal, and/or cardboard. If the articles are madeof plastic, they can be made of any suitable plastic. Suitable plasticsfor bottles, for example, may include, but are not limited to:polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high densitypolyethylene (HDPE), and low density polyethylene (LDPE).

The articles 10 will typically have at least two opposing ends. Forexample, a bottle will have a base and a top. The articles 10 may alsohave a front, a back, and sides. The articles 10 will also have asurface 12. The articles 10 may be solid as in the case of some razorblade handles, or hollow or partially hollow in the case of bottles, forexample. The surface of the articles 10 may be flat (planar) or curved.The entire surface need not be either flat or curved. For example, thesurface of the articles 10 may have: portions that are flat; portionsthat are curved; or, the surface may have both flat portions and curvedportions. For instance, in the case of bottles, at least a portion ofthe surface may have a convex curvature. It is also possible that somearticles may have a surface in which at least a portion thereof has aconcave curvature.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable that the method be used toapply the transfer material 22 to non-cylindrical three-dimensionalarticles, and thus on surfaces of articles that do not form part of acylindrical object. In such cases, one or more of the front, back andsides may have different configurations. Such surfaces may as a result,be more complex (and difficult to apply transfer materials to) thancylindrical surfaces. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to applya transfer material onto articles that have non-ruled surfaces. Anon-ruled surface can be described as one that has a Gaussian curvaturethat is not equal to zero (e.g., FIG. 26). In some cases, the articlemay have an exterior surface having a portion that has simultaneousradius of curvature in two or more planes wherein the absolute value ofthe Gaussian curvature of said portion is greater than or equal to 43m⁻². In some cases, the absolute value of the Gaussian curvature of sucha portion is greater than or equal to 172 m⁻². In some embodiments, themethod may be used to apply a transfer material onto the surface ofarticles that have complex curvatures in which the surface comprisesregions with curves that have more than one axis of curvature.

In some embodiments, the method may be used to apply a transfer materialonto two or more portions of an article that each have a radius ofcurvature. At least two of the two or more portions may be at leastpartially separated by an intermediate portion that has a lesser radiusof curvature than the two portions. (When it is said that the two ormore portions may be “at least partially separated by” an intermediateportion, it is meant that the intermediate portion may extend the fulllength of the two or more portions and form a boundary therebetween; or,the intermediate portion may only extend a portion of the length betweenthe two or more portions.) The two or more portions may have anysuitable radius of curvature. The radius of curvature of the two or moreportions may be the same as the other such portions, or different. Suchradii of curvature of the two or more portions may range from a radiusthat is greater than that of the intermediate portion up to an infiniteradius of curvature in the case of a flat portion of the exteriorsurface (or any range therebetween). Suitable radii of curvature for theintermediate portion are described below. In some cases, the two or moreportions and the intermediate portion are all located on one of the topportion, bottom portion, front, back, or a side of an article such as acontainer, and the intermediate portion is a feature on said exteriorsurface that has a lesser radius of curvature than the two or moreportions. The feature comprising the intermediate portion may protrudeoutward from the exterior surface of the article. Alternatively, thefeature may be recessed into the exterior surface of the article. Thesefeatures can have any suitable configurations. An example of a featurethat protrudes outward from the exterior surface is a ridge. An exampleof a feature that is recessed into the exterior surface is a groove.Non-limiting examples of an article having such features are shown inFIGS. 18A and 18B. Of course, any given article can have more than onefeature as described herein. Any given article can also have more thantwo portions with an intermediate portion therebetween that have atransfer material thereon as described herein. The same applies to thefollowing types of cases.

In other cases, the at least two or more portions are located ondifferent ones of the top portion, a bottom portion, a front, a back,and sides of the article, and the intermediate portion comprises an edgebetween the two or more portions. The apparatuses and methods describedherein may, thus, be used to provide a transfer material which wrapsaround at least portions of two or more sides of an article (includingbut not limited to portions of three sides) to provide a multi-sidedapplication of the transfer material. The transfer material may, thus,provide a continuous image on at least portions of two or more sides ofan article wherein the sides of an article have a portion of the articletherebetween (an intermediate portion or connector) that has a lesserradius of curvature than the portions of the sides of the article. Thisis shown schematically in FIG. 27. Thus, in the non-limiting exampleshown in FIG. 27, the intermediate portion has a radius of curvature R2that is less than both R1 and R3. The two or more portions with radii R1and R3 may have any suitable radius of curvature. Such radii ofcurvature may range from a radius that is greater than that of theintermediate portion up to an infinite radius of curvature in the caseof a flat portion of the exterior surface (or any range therebetween).It should be understood that when the intermediate portion is describedas having a lesser radius of curvature, the intermediate portion canhave any suitable radius of curvature. Suitable radii of curvature forthe intermediate portion described herein may range from greater than orequal to zero to less than or equal to about any of the following: 60mm, 40 mm, 20 mm, 15 mm, 10 mm, 5 mm, 2 mm, 1 mm, or 0.1 mm. The radiuscould be zero if the sides shown as being associated with radii R1 andR3 met at a right angle that was defined by a sharp, non-rounded edge.The transfer material can be wrapped around any two or more faces of thearticle. For instance, the transfer material can be wrapped around thefront and/or back of the article and at least one of the sides or thebottom portion of the article. This can also provide the transfermaterial with a cleaner appearance without the visible edges typicallyseen on the front or back of articles which have heat transfer labelsapplied thereto.

The transfer component 24 may be any suitable component that is capableof receiving one or more materials that are deposited on the transfercomponent 24 to form a transfer material 22 and then transferring thetransfer material 22 to the surface of an article 10. The transfercomponent 24 can comprise one or more discrete components having theproperties described herein wherein each discrete component receives asingle transfer material deposit for application to a single article 10.In other cases, the transfer component 24 can comprise a continuouscomponent. The term “continuous”, as used herein, refers to a transfercomponent that receives two or more transfer material deposits forapplication to different articles. Typically, a continuous transfercomponent 24 will be capable of receiving a plurality of transfermaterial deposits for application to different articles. A continuoustransfer component 24 will typically have a machine direction lengththat is greater than the dimension of the article to which the transfermaterial 22 is to be transferred. Continuous transfer components can bein a number of different forms. For example, a continuous transfercomponent 24 can be in the form of a web that is unwound from a supplyroll, and after use, rewound on a take-up roll. In other cases, thecontinuous transfer component 24 can be in the form of an endless (thatis, a closed loop) belt. FIG. 2 shows a fragmented continuous transfercomponent 24 that could be in either of these forms. In some cases, morethan one transfer component 24 may be used in the process.

The transfer component 24 may be a single use component such that once atransfer material 22 is transferred from the transfer component 24 to anarticle 10, the same portion of the transfer component that containedthe transfer material is not used to transfer another transfer materialto another article. In such a case, the transfer component 24 may bedisposable after use, or recycled in an environmentally compatiblemanner. In other cases, the transfer component 24 may be reusable sothat the same portion of the transfer component 24 may be used toreceive and transfer more than one transfer material to differentarticles. When the transfer component 24 is reusable, it may bedesirable to clean the transfer component 24 between the transfer of onetransfer material 22 and the receipt of another transfer material 22thereon. Therefore, the transfer component 24 may pass through acleaning station after the transfer component 24 releases from thetransfer material.

The transfer component 24 may have any suitable properties. Theproperties will often depend on the type of transfer component. Forexample, if the transfer component 24 is in the form of a pad or a roll,the transfer component 24 may have a surface, at least a portion ofwhich is compressible so that it may conform to the surface of thearticle 10. In other cases, it may be desirable for the transfercomponent 24 to be substantially incompressible under the forcesassociated with carrying out the method described herein. If thetransfer component 24 is in the form of a web or in the form of a belt,the web or belt will typically have two opposing surfaces that define athickness therebetween. These surfaces may be referred to as a front or“transfer surface” 24A and a back surface 24B. In some cases, it may bedesirable for the web or belt to be relatively thin and/or flexible sothat it may conform to the surface 12 of the article 10 without the needto compress the surface of the transfer component 24 so that thethickness of the transfer component 24 changes substantially. In such acase, both surfaces 24A and 24B of the transfer component 24 may flex ina similar manner when the transfer component 24 and the article 10 arebrought into contact with each other.

In some cases, a transfer component 24 in the form of a web or belt mayhave at least some portions that are unsupported (that is, span withoutany backing) between the transfer material receiving areas on thesurface of the same. This characteristic of a transfer component 24 inthe form of a web or belt is one of the ways such a web or belt transfercomponent is distinguishable from offset blankets that are mounted oncylinders.

The transfer component 24, whether discrete or continuous, may also beextensible in at least one direction. For example, the transfercomponent 24 may be extensible in one direction and in a directionperpendicular thereto in the plane of the surfaces of the transfercomponent 24. A continuous transfer component 24 that moves during theprocess will have a machine direction (MD) oriented in the direction ofmovement and a cross-machine direction (CD) perpendicular to the machinedirection in the plane of the surfaces of the transfer component. Thecontinuous transfer component 24 can be extensible in the machinedirection and/or the cross-machine direction. In some cases, thetransfer component 24 may be omni-direction extensible (extensible inall directions in the plane of the surfaces of the transfer component).In some cases, the transfer component 24 may be extensible in onedirection, but due to the Poisson effect (for example), may contract inanother direction (such as in a direction perpendicular to the directionin which it is extended) in the plane of the surfaces of the transfercomponent.

If the transfer component 24 is extensible, it may be extensible in anysuitable amount under the forces associated with conforming the transfercomponent to the surface of the articles 10 during the process describedherein. As shown, for example, in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 18A, and 18B, at leasta portion of the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon may have a first initial length L1 measured along its surface24A before it contacts and conforms to the desired portion of thesurface 12 of an article 10. As shown in FIGS. 10B and 18B, the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon may have a secondlength L2 after it contacts and conforms to the desired portion of thesurface 12 of an article 10. It should be understood that the first andsecond lengths L1 and L2 are measured following along the surface 24A ofthe transfer component 24, rather than the distance between two points(the dimension lines in the figures as shown merely for ease ofillustration). The second length L2 may be greater than the initiallength L1 when the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon conforms to the surface curvature of a three-dimensionalarticle. The transfer material 22 may undergo a similar change in lengthas that of the transfer component 24. These dimensional changes mayoccur in any of the embodiments described herein. In some cases, thetransfer component 24 (or at least the portion thereof in contact withthe surface of an article) may be extensible in amounts greater thanabout 0.01% up to the point of plastic deformation of the transfercomponent 24, or in some cases, may even approach, but not reach thepoint of ultimate failure of the transfer component 24. In some cases,the transfer component 24 (or at least the portion thereof in contactwith the surface of an article) may be extensible so that it will becapable of increasing its dimension in at least one direction by betweenabout 0.01% to about 500%, alternatively between about 0.01% to about300%, or any narrower range therebetween. In some cases, it may bedesirable for the transfer component 24 to be elastically extensible sothat it will not only extend under force, but will return back to (ortoward) its original dimensions after forces are removed. An elasticallyextensible transfer component 24 is useful in embodiments such as thoseshown in FIG. 2 when a reusable transfer component 24 is used andportions of the reusable transfer component 24 are deflected into acavity. Such portions will be able to be deflected in more than onecycle of use.

The transfer component 24 can be comprised of any suitable material. Thematerial may depend on the type of transfer component, and whether it isdesirable for the transfer component to be compressible or substantiallyincompressible. Suitable types of transfer components include, but arenot limited to: films, belts, and discrete components. Some discretetransfer components can be comprised of film, and some can be comprisedof a material similar to that used in belts. Film and discrete transfercomponents comprised of film may be made from materials that include,but are not limited to: polyethylene, polyester, polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), and polypropylene. Belts and some discrete transfercomponents may be made from materials that include, but are not limitedto: rubber, rubberized materials, polyurethanes, and felt. At least someof such materials may be low surface energy materials having a surfaceenergy of less than or equal to about 45 dynes/cm. Some transfercomponents 24 made from films may be disposable. It may be desirablethat some transfer components 24 in the form of belts may be reusable.

The transfer component 24 may be of any suitable thickness. If thetransfer component 24 is in the form of a film, it may have a thicknessfalls within a range that is greater than about 0.1 mil (0.0001 inch orabout 0.0025 mm) to less than or equal to about 0.2 inch (about 5 mm),alternatively less than or equal to about 0.125 inch (about 3.2 mm),alternatively less than or equal to about 0.08 inch (about 2 mm),alternatively less than or equal to about 0.06 inch (about 1.5 mm), orany narrower range therebetween. A disposable film may, for example,have a thickness in the range of from about 0.0001 inch (about 0.0025mm) to about 0.001 inch (about 0.025 mm). It may be desirable for thetransfer component 24 to have a thickness at the lower end of the rangewhen the article 10 has significant surface features such as high levelsof localized curvature, so that the transfer component 24 is better ableto conform to the configuration of the surface of the article 10. Inaddition, it may be desirable for the transfer component 24 to have agreater thickness within the aforementioned range if it is reusable,than if it is disposable. If the transfer component 24 is in the form ofa durable belt, for example, it may have a thickness in the range offrom about 0.01 inches (about 0.25 mm) to about 0.06 inches (about 1.5mm). In other cases, it may be desirable for a durable belt to have athickness greater than 1.5 mm to offer some compressibility.

In some cases, the transfer component 24 may have limitedcompressibility in a direction normal to its surfaces 24A and 24B (thatis, in the direction of its thickness). For example, in some cases, thetransfer component 24 may compresses less than or equal to about 50%,40%, 30%, 20%, or 10% of its uncompressed thickness under 20 psipneumatic pressure applied normal to the surface of the transfercomponent 24. In some cases, the transfer component 24 may also besubstantially incompressible. The transfer component 24 may, forexample, be substantially incompressible when it is in the form of afilm. When it is said that the transfer component 24 is substantiallyincompressible, it is meant that the transfer component 24 compressesless than or equal to about 5% of its uncompressed thickness under 20psi (138 kPa) pneumatic pressure applied normal to the surface of thetransfer component 24. In some cases, the transfer component 24 maycompress less than or equal to about 1% of its uncompressed thicknessunder 20 psi pneumatic pressure applied normal to the surface of thetransfer component 24.

The surface 24A of the transfer component 24 should be capable ofreceiving a deposit of a material thereon. For instance, if the materialfirst deposited on the transfer component 24 is printing, the surface24A of the transfer component may be described as a “print-receiving”surface. If desired, the surface 24A of the transfer component 24 mayhave an optional release coating thereon to facilitate transfer of thetransfer material 22 to the article. Suitable release coatings include,but are not limited to: silicone and wax. The release coating willtypically be applied to the transfer component 24 before any materialsare deposited on the transfer component 24. The release coating willtypically remain on the transfer component 24 and will not comprise partof the transfer material 22 that is transferred to the article 10.

The material deposition devices (“deposition device(s)”) 26 can depositany suitable material (or substance) on the transfer component 24. Theapparatus 20 can comprise any suitable number, arrangement, and type ofdeposition device(s) 26. For example, the apparatus may comprise between1-20, or more, deposition device(s) 26. Thus, there may be a pluralityof deposition devices 26.

The deposition device 26 may, in some cases be part of the apparatus 20and process for transferring the transfer material 22 onto the articles10 as shown in FIG. 2. In other words, the deposition device is“in-line” with the transfer process. In other embodiments, thedeposition of the transfer material 22 onto the transfer component 24can be performed using a separate apparatus and process from the processfor transferring the transfer material 22 onto the surface of thearticle 10. For example, the material deposition portion of the processmay be a separate process (such as a printing process) that isunconnected to the equipment used to transfer the transfer material 22onto the surface of the article 10. That is, the printing of thesubstance may take place off-line. Thus, it is possible to deposit thetransfer material 22 onto a transfer component 24 and to wind thetransfer component with transfer material deposits thereon onto a roll.The roll of transfer component with transfer material deposits thereoncan be brought into the process which transfers the transfer materialfrom the roll onto the articles.

The deposition devices can either be of a type that contacts thetransfer component 24 directly or by indirectly applying pressure to thetransfer component 24 through the material (“contacting”), or of a typethat does not contact the transfer component 24 (“non-contacting”). Forthe purposes of this disclosure, spraying ink on a transfer component isconsidered to be non-contacting. The component 25 for supporting thetransfer component 24 during material deposition can comprise any typeof component that is capable of serving such a purpose. The component 25providing the support surface may include, but not be limited to: acylinder, a belt, or a static plate (e.g., an arcuate plate).

The deposition device 26 can be any suitable type of device including,but not limited to: offset printing systems, gravure printing systems,print heads, nozzles, and other types of material deposition devices. Inthe case of print heads, any suitable type of print heads can be usedincluding, but not limited to piezo inkjet print heads, thermal inkjetprint heads, electrostatic print heads and/or printing valve printheads. The print heads may be a drop-on-demand type of depositiondevice. By “drop-on-demand”, it is meant that the print heads createdroplets of ink at the nozzle only when needed such as to form a patternin the form of words, figures or images (e.g., pictures), or designs.The print heads may also be “continuous” meaning drops are continuouslyformed at the nozzles, however only desired drops leave the print headto form the intended pattern. Ink jet print heads are typicallydigitally actuatable and can digitally print patterns provided by acomputer. Thus, ink jet print heads are a form of a digital printingdevice that can digitally print material to produce the desired patternon a portion of the transfer component 24.

Suitable materials or substances include, but are not limited to: inks(including UV-curable inks, water-based inks, and solvent-based inks),varnishes, coatings, and lotions. The material can be deposited in anysuitable form. Suitable forms include, but are not limited to: liquids;colloids including gels, emulsions, foams and sols; pastes; powders; andhot melts (the latter being solids that may be heated to flow). Thematerial can be deposited in any suitable pattern. Suitable patterns canbe regular, irregular, or random, and include, but are not limited to:words (text), figures, images, designs, an indicium, a texture, afunctional coating, and combinations thereof.

Ink jet print heads will typically comprise multiple nozzles. Thenozzles are typically generally aligned in rows and are configured tojet ink in a particular direction that is generally parallel to that ofthe other nozzles. The nozzles within each row on a print head 26 can bealigned linearly. Alternatively, the nozzles may be arranged in one ormore rows that are oriented diagonally relative to the longer dimension(or length) of the print head. Both such arrangements of nozzles can beconsidered to be aligned substantially linearly. The inkjet print headscan comprise any suitable number and arrangement of nozzles therein. Onesuitable inkjet print head contains approximately 360 nozzles per inch(per 2.54 cm). The Xaar 1002 is an example of a suitable print head foruse herein, and is available from Xaar of Cambridge, UK.

The droplets of ink formed by an ink jet print head can range indiameter from about 10 microns or less to about 200 microns, or more.The droplets of ink can be distributed in any suitable number over agiven area. Typically, in ink jet printing, the ink droplets form anarray or matrix in which the number of drops per inch (2.54 cm) (DPI) isspecified in the direction of movement of the print head or article tobe printed, and in a direction on the surface of the articleperpendicular thereto. (It will be appreciated that in the processdescribed herein, such an array or matrix will be deposited on thetransfer component 24, and then transferred to an at least a partiallythree-dimensional (e.g., curved, including in a convex or concave form)surface.) The application of ink drops provided on the surface of thearticle to form a digital image can range from about 200, or less up toabout 2,880 or more drops per inch (DPI) in at least one direction. Insome cases, the droplets of ink can be deposited in a matrix that rangesfrom 700 to 1,440 drops per inch in at least one direction. In somecases, the droplets of ink may be deposited in a matrix that is greaterthan 1,200 drops per inch up to about 2,880 or more drops per inch in atleast one direction.

When the deposition device(s) 26 comprise print heads, one or more ofthe deposition devices 26 may comprise a printing unit (or “printingstation”). The ink jet print heads may be configured to print black orcolor ink or varnish, adhesives, or clear varnish. Each printing unitmay comprise any suitable number of print heads, from one to four ormore. For example, in some cases, the printing unit may comprise fourprint heads for a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black)) colorscheme for producing different color sets of a multicolor print. Theprinting unit may also comprise additional print head(s) for additionalcolors, e.g., white and or special colors, for a priming coat or for abase layer, e.g., an adhesive, and/or for applying a transparent sealingor protective coating. In some embodiments, there may be multipleprinting stations, such as one or more for an optional base coat, one ormore for a decoration coat, and one or more for an optional top coat.

The material 22, such as the ink(s) may be applied to the transfercomponent 24 in a predetermined pattern. The term “predeterminedpattern”, as used herein, refers to any type of printed patternincluding but not limited to words, figures (e.g., pictures), images,indicia or designs that is determined prior to the initiation ofprinting.

The adhesive deposition device 28 is optional. If the material (such asink or varnish) previously deposited on the transfer component 24 hassufficient adhesive properties to adhere to the surface 12 of thearticles 10, a separate adhesive deposition device may not be necessary.

The adhesive deposition device 28, if present, can be any suitable typeof device for depositing an adhesive onto at least a portion of thepreviously deposited material(s) and/or the transfer component 24.Suitable adhesive deposition devices 28 include, but are not limited to:print heads, nozzles, and other types of material deposition devices. Ifa print head is used to deposit the adhesive, it can comprise any of thetypes of print heads that are described above as being suitable for useas a deposition device.

The adhesive can be any material that is suitable for adhering thetransfer material 22 to the articles 10 when the transfer component 24is brought into contact with the surface 12 of the articles 10. Thiswill enable the transfer material 22 to be transferred from the transfercomponent 24 to the surface 12 of the articles 10. Suitable adhesivesinclude, but are not limited to: pressure sensitive adhesives, UV orElectron Beam curable adhesives, water-based adhesives, solvent-basedadhesives, heat setting (or thermally activated) adhesives, and two-partor multi-part adhesives (for example two-part epoxy adhesives). In somecases, it may be desirable for the adhesive to be of a non-heatactivated (or thermally-activated) type, such as in the case of heattransfer labels. In the case of two-part epoxy adhesives, the first partcan be applied by one deposition device and the second part can beapplied by a second deposition device. For example, both parts of theadhesive composition can be applied on the transfer component 24, andthe chemistry can be formulated so that the adhesive composition willcure sufficiently to provide the transfer within the allotted processtime (for example, within the 1-10 second range). In some cases, thefirst part can be applied to the transfer component 24 and the secondpart can be applied to the surface 12 of the article 10. With any of theadhesive systems, it may be desirable to at least partially cure theadhesives prior to contacting the article in order to control squeezeout/flow of the adhesive.

The apparatus 20 may further comprise one or more optional energysources. The optional energy source(s) such as energy sources 50A and50B, can be used for curing any curable adhesive, ink, or varnish havingadhesive properties. The optional energy source(s), such as 50A may belocated adjacent to (that is, on the same side as) the transfer surface24A of the transfer component. The energy source 50A adjacent thetransfer surface 24 can be used to cure the material (such as ink orvarnish) deposited on the transfer component 24 by deposition device 26.Such curing can take place prior to any adhesive being applied by theadhesive deposition device 28. There may also be another optional energysource, such as energy source 50B, that is located adjacent to the backsurface 24B of the transfer component 24 to cure any adhesives appliedby the adhesive deposition device 28. The type of optional energy sourcewill depend on the type of substance being used. The optional energysource can comprise any suitable type of device including, but notlimited to: a heat source (such as a heat tunnel, or an infrared lamp);a UV lamp; an electron beam; or other energy source. If a UV-curableadhesive is used, at least sections of the transfer component 24 havingthe transfer material thereon, as well as the overlying layers of thetransfer material may need to be transparent to UV light to allow theadhesive to be cured through the overlying layers and the transfercomponent 24. The curing may be initiated prior to, during, or after thetransfer of the transfer material from the transfer component 24 to thesurface of the article. Of course, if the adhesive is of a type (such asa pressure sensitive adhesive) that does not require curing, the energysource will not be necessary.

In some cases, it may be desirable for the adhesive to have asufficiently low tack (a first level of tackiness) during the initialstage of contacting the article 10 with the transfer component 24 (orcontacting the transfer component with the article) so that at leastportions of the transfer material 22 may slip along the surface 12 ofthe article 10 in order to conform to the same without damage to thetransfer material 22 or the transfer component 24. If the adhesive is atype that can be cured, at this initial stage, the adhesive may beuncured, or only partially cured. Once the transfer component 24 withthe transfer material 22 thereon is conformed to the surface of thearticle 10, pressure may be applied to the transfer component in adirection substantially normal to the surface of the article in order toconform and/or adhere the transfer material 22 to the surface of thearticle 10. It may be desirable for the ink component to be fully curedbefore normal pressure is exerted on the transfer component so that theink will not undesirably spread, distorting any image, etc. and/orcausing the ink to ooze out of the transfer material.

The apparatus 20 can also comprise a decoration station. The decorationstation is a station at which a visual, tactile, or olfactory effect isapplied by means of material deposition that is applied directly, ortransferred to an article 10 or by transforming a property of anarticle, or combinations thereof. An example of transforming a propertyof an article without transferring a material to the surface of thearticle is imparting an image on the surface of an article by a laser. Asingle decoration station can be used to apply a single decorativeeffect or multiple decorative effects. Alternatively, multipledecoration stations can be used to apply the decorative effect(s). Thedecoration may occur before or after the printing of a material on thetransfer component 24, or even directly onto the articles before orafter the transfer material 22 is applied to the articles 10.

In some embodiments, the decoration station may comprise a station fordepositing a metallic substance on the transfer component 24 and/or ontoone of the substances thereon. (In the latter case, the metallicsubstance would be deposited indirectly on the transfer component 24.) Ametallic substance may be used to provide the article 10 with a metalliceffect. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, one or more metal depositiondevices 60A and 60B may be provided adjacent to the substance depositiondevices 26 for depositing a metallic material onto the transfercomponent. As shown in FIG. 2, a metallic deposition device 60A may beplaced before (upstream of) the substance deposition devices 26. FIG. 2also shows that a metallic deposition device 60B may be placed after(downstream of) the substance deposition devices 26. The metallicmaterial can comprise any suitable type of metallic material including,but not limited to: (1) a metallic foil; (2) printed metallic ink; or(3) sintered metal. If the metallic material comprises a metallic ink,it can be printed by any of the processes described herein for printingthe ink component. In addition, in some cases, the metallic materialwhen applied to the transfer component 24 may be UV permeable due tosmall open spaces between the very small metallic material particles or“flakes”. The metallic substance, however, will typically be on thebottom of the structure (i.e., one of the first things that will beapplied to the transfer component 24). The remainder of the image maythen be built on top of the metallic substance (or around it).

In some embodiments, the decoration station may comprise a station foradding a tactile effect to the transfer material 22 and, thus, to thearticle 10. The tactile effect may comprise a built up texture that istransferred to the surface 12 of the article 10. The texture can becreated by depositing a textured substance on the transfer component 24before, during or after depositing other substances on the transfercomponent 24. Alternatively, the texture can be created by using atextured transfer component 24. It may be desirable that the substancethat creates a tactile effect on the surface 12 of the article 10 doesso by creating a texture with height greater than about 3 microns.

FIG. 3 shows one example of a composite transfer material 22 on aportion of a transfer component 24. The components of the compositetransfer material 22 shown in FIG. 3 may include: an optional adhesive(or varnish with adhesive properties) 52; an ink component which may bein the form of artwork, an image, etc. 54; and, an optional protectivecoating or component (such as a clear varnish) 56. FIG. 3 also shows anoptional additive or release agent 58 that has been applied to thetransfer component 24. In this case, the transfer component 24 is in theform of a relatively thin film or belt. In addition to the componentsshown, other optional components may be included in the compositetransfer structure 22. For example, the ink component 54 may be formedby depositing CMYK (may omit white), and an optional base layer (whichcan be white or any suitable color) may be provided between the optionaladhesive 52 and the ink component 54. In addition, an optional metallicmaterial 62 may be provided between the optional adhesive 52 and the inkcomponent 54, or between the ink component 54 and the optionalprotective component 56. It should be understood, however, that one ormore of these optional layers may be omitted, and that in its simplestform the transfer material 22 may only consist of an ink component (suchas a varnish or an ink layer) 54 if the ink component 54 has sufficientadhesive properties to adhere to the surface 12 of the article 10, andif the ink component has sufficient protective properties and wearresistance that it does not require a protective component. The transfermaterial 22 will typically be free of any release paper, such as thatused to cover adhesive on decals. The transfer material 22 willtypically also be free of a carrier that remains on the article afterthe transfer material is applied to the surface of an article, such asin the case of heat transfer labels.

It should be understood that all of the components shown in FIG. 3 may,but need not have the same dimensions and/or plan view configurations.Any of these components may have greater or lesser dimensions in anydirection than any of the other components. However, it may be desirablefor the optional adhesive component 52 (or ink layer with adhesiveproperties) to have dimensions that are equal to or greater than theunderlying layers as arranged on the transfer component 24 (which willbecome overlying layers on the surface of the article) so that theunderlying layers will be adhered to the surface 12 of the article 10.

The process herein may be described in terms of depositing one or moreof the materials described above on the transfer component 24. It shouldbe understood, however, that it is not necessary that a particularmaterial be deposited directly on the surface 24A of the transfercomponent 24. The depositing of the material on the transfer component24 may include depositing the material directly on the surface 24A ofthe transfer component 24, or indirectly depositing a material on thesurface 24A of the transfer component 24, such as by depositing onematerial (for example an adhesive) on top of another material (ink) thatis already on the surface 24A of the transfer component 24.

In addition, although the components of the composite transfer material22 are shown as layers in FIG. 3, one or more of these components may,but need not be in the form of a layer. For example, in the inkcomponent 54, some ink droplets may stay discrete; some others may mergetogether to form a film-like structure. The components of the compositetransfer material 22, if deposited in a form which may need to be cured,may also be in various states ranging from non-cured to fully cured. Itmay be desirable for the ink to be in the form of a pre-formed imagebefore the transfer of the transfer material 22; otherwise, the desiredpattern of ink (e.g., the image) may degrade during transfer. As usedherein, the term “pre-formed” image refers to a dried image in the caseof solvent or water-based inks, or a fully cured image in the case ofcurable inks. The ink can therefore be pre-formed (e.g., fully cured)and the adhesive can be non-cured, or only partially cured. A transferof a pre-formed (e.g., fully cured) ink image by the transfer materialdiffers from ink jet printing directly on an article wherein thedroplets of ink are deposited on an article and then dried or cured.

The release agent 58 may be used to ensure that the transfer material 22releases cleanly from the transfer component 24 and transfer to thesurface 12 of the articles 10. The release agent 58 may be continuous inthe machine direction as shown in FIG. 3, or it may be in the form ofdiscrete patches that only underlie the transfer material 22.

The conveyor 30 may be any suitable type of conveyor. In FIG. 2, theconveyor 30 is in the form of an endless belt having one or more pockets32 therein, and is supported by rolls 34 and 36 having axes of rotationA. The pockets 32 may be configured to receive the articles 10 therein.The conveyor 30 brings the articles 10 into proximity with theconforming component 40 which has at least one cavity 42 therein. Theconforming component 40 is used for conforming the transfer component 24with the transfer material 22 thereon to at least a portion of thesurface of an article 10. In FIG. 2, the conforming component 40 is inthe form of an endless belt having a plurality of cavities 42 thereinthat is supported by rolls 44 and 46.

The apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2 is described as a top view. In thiscase, the axes of rotation A of the conveyor 30 are oriented vertically.However, the entire apparatus 20 can be reoriented so that the axes A ofthe rolls are horizontal, in which case FIG. 2 would be a sideelevational view. In other embodiments, the apparatus 20 can be orientedin any configuration between horizontal and vertical.

The conveyor 30 can be any suitable type of device for conveying thearticle(s) 10 so that the articles 10 may contact, or be contacted by,the transfer component 24 and have the transfer material 22 transferredto the surface 12 of the articles 10. The term “conveyor”, as usedherein, refers to devices that move articles generally, and is notlimited to conveyor belts. Suitable conveyors include, but are notlimited to: turret conveyors, star wheel conveyors, endless loopconveyors which may be in the form of tracks, belts, chains, and thelike, puck conveyors, and magnetic servo car conveyors.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the article conveyor 30 is an endlessloop conveyor that is in a race track configuration. The conveyor 30 cancomprise any suitable type of holder for holding the articles 10thereon. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the conveyor 30 comprises anendless belt with a plurality of pre-formed holders 32 therein, orjoined to the endless belt, for holding the articles 10. The term“joined to” as used throughout this disclosure, encompassesconfigurations in which an element is directly secured to anotherelement by affixing the element directly to the other element;configurations in which the element is indirectly secured to the otherelement by affixing the element to intermediate member(s) which in turnare affixed to the other element; and configurations in which oneelement is integral with another element, i.e., one element isessentially part of the other element. The holders 32 can be configuredto hold articles having a variety of configurations, or they can beconfigured more precisely correspond to the shape of the portion of thearticles 10 that faces away from the transfer component 24. The conveyor30 may rotate at a constant velocity, or the velocity of rotation may bevaried, if desired. The rotation of the conveyor 30 may be continuous,or if desired, intermittent.

The conforming component 40 can be any suitable type of component forconforming the transfer material 22 to the surface 12 of the article 10.It should be understood, however, that the conforming component 40 isnot necessary in the second and third categories of processes describedherein. It should also be understood that although the aforementionedcategories of processes may be shown as continuous processes, they canalso be carried out as intermittent processes at fixed stations. Theconforming component 40 can be in forms that include, but are notlimited to: stationary cavities, and conveyors with cavities thereon.

The conforming component 40 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a conveyor withone or more spaced apart cavities 42 therein for articles 10. Theconveyor for the conforming component 40 may be in the form of aflexible belt having two surfaces, a front surface 40A for receivingarticles 10 and an opposing back surface 40B. The cavities 42 may beconfigured to at least generally conform to the configuration of aportion of the surface (the “target surface”) of the three-dimensionalarticle 10 to be decorated. The term “target surface” may optionally beused herein to refer to the portion of the surface of the article 10 towhich the transfer material 22 is applied (since in many cases, thetransfer material 22 will not be applied to the entire surface 12 of thearticle). It should be understood, therefore, that when the transfermaterial 22 is described as being transferred to the surface 12 of thearticle 10, it may only be applied to a portion of the surface 12 of thearticle 10.

The conforming component 40 may comprise at least one of the componentsof a station for modifying the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon so that the transfer material 22 conforms to thesurface 12 of the article 10. The transfer component 24 with thetransfer material 22 thereon have initial dimensions and an initialconfiguration prior to the modifying step. The terms “modify” or“modifying”, as used herein with respect to the transformation that theportion of the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon undergoes may include at least one of: (1) changing thedimensions of the portion of the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon by increasing their dimensions in at least onedirection by stretching the same; (2) changing the dimensions of theportion of the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon by reducing their dimensions in at least one direction such asby shrinking or contracting the same; or (3) at least temporarilydeforming, deflecting, flexing, or bending a portion of the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to conform to theconfiguration of the surface 12 of the article 10.

It should be understood that when the conforming component 24 with thetransfer material 22 thereon is described herein as undergoing amodification, the transfer material 22 will be similarly modified. Thus,if the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon isstretched (for example), the transfer material (which may be in the formof an image or the like) will also be stretched. If the portion of thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon isthereafter relaxed and contracts, the image will also contract.

In some embodiments, the term “modify” may be further specified hereinas either including or excluding substantial compression of thethickness of the transfer component 24 (that is, compression greaterthan about 5% of the uncompressed thickness of the transfer component24) as the primary type of modification, or as an aspect of themodification. It should be understood, however, that although themodification may, for example, be one of stretching to modify thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon, thetransfer itself may rely on some level of compressive force beingapplied in the direction of the thickness of the transfer component 24to ensure good contact for the transfer of the transfer material 22 tothe surface 12 of the article. In some embodiments, the term “modify”may be further specified as excluding bending or wrapping the transfercomponent 24 about a cylindrical object. In such cases, the transfercomponent 24 may be said to be modified other than in the configurationof a portion of a cylindrical surface. That is, if bent, the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon is bent such that itmay have portions with different radii and/or axes of curvature.

In the various different types of processes described herein, there canbe several aspects to transferring the transfer material 22 from thetransfer component 24 to the surface of the article 10. As describedabove, a portion of the transfer component 24 with the transfer material22 thereon, may be modified. These aspects comprise: contacting,conforming, and transferring. More specifically, the transfer operationwill involve an aspect of contacting the article 10 with the transfermaterial 22. The transfer operation may also involve an aspect ofconforming the transfer material 22 to the configuration of the targetsurface 12 of the article 10. The transfer operation will also involve atransfer of the transfer material 22 from the transfer component 24 tothe target surface of the article 10. The order in which some of theseaspects occur relative to each other may vary depending on the type ofprocess used herein.

The aspect of modifying the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon can occur at any of the following times: prior tocontact between the article 10 and the transfer material 22;simultaneously with contacting; after contacting; or any combinationthereof. The contact may occur in any of the following manners, by:moving the article 10 to make contact with the transfer component 24;moving the transfer component 24 to make contact with the article 10; ormoving both the article 10 and the transfer component 24 to contact eachother.

The aspect of conforming the transfer material 22 to the configurationof the surface 12 of the article 10 is typically associated with theaspect of modifying the transfer component 24 with the transfer material22 thereon. In some cases, the aspect of conforming the transfermaterial 22 to the configuration of the surface 12 of the article 10 canoccur before the transfer material 22 is brought into contact with thesurface 12 of the article 10, simultaneously with contacting, or aftercontacting, or any combination thereof.

The aspect of contacting the article 10 with the transfer material 22typically occurs before there can be a transfer of the transfer material22 to the surface 12 of the article 10. The aspect of transferring thetransfer material 22 from the transfer component 24 to the surface 12 ofthe article 10 may occur simultaneously, or after contacting the article10 with the transfer material 22.

It may be desirable to ensure that the transfer material 22 conformsclosely to the surface 12 of the articles 10. This will reduce thechance that there will be wrinkles in the transfer material 22 and thatair is trapped or entrained between the surface 12 of the article andthe transfer material 22. This will also reduce the chance that portionsof the transfer material 22 will span between portions of the surface 12which may have a depression therein, rather than adhering closely to thesurface of the article in those depressions. Also, if there is too largeof a gap between the transfer material 22 and the article, then theadhesive will not contact the surface 12 of the article 10 and possiblynot transfer that portion of the transfer material 22 to the article 10.

In addition to the foregoing, in some cases, it may be desirable tooptionally pre-stretch an extensible transfer component 24 prior to andduring the deposit of a material thereon. The transfer component 24 withthe transfer material 22 thereon can then be temporarily relaxed beforeconforming the same to the surface of an article 10. Following therelaxation, the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon can then be modified, such as by stretching, to conform the sameto the surface of an article 10. Applying the transfer material 22 to apre-stretched transfer component 24 may reduce or eliminate any negativeeffects on the transfer material during the subsequent step of modifying(such as by stretching) the same when conforming the transfer component24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to the surface 12 of an article10. The negative effects may include, but are not limited to damage toany image on the transfer material, and/or reduction in the quality ofthe image. For example, if the deposition device 26 comprises an ink jetprinter, and the transfer component 24 is unstretched during printing,the number of drops of ink per inch (DPI) applied during printing willhave a first value, DPI¹. After stretching the transfer component withthe transfer material 22 thereon to conform the same to the surface 12of an article 10, the DPI as applied to the surface 12 of the article 10will have a second value DPI² that is reduced due to the stretching. Ifthe transfer component 24 is stretched prior to and held in a stretchedcondition during the printing process, however, when the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material thereon 22 are subsequentlystretched to conform the same to the surface 12 of an article 10, theDPI² in this case as applied to the surface 12 of the article will begreater than it would have been if the transfer component was notpre-stretched. In the latter case, DPI² may approach DPI¹, or equalDPI¹, or even be greater than DPI¹ (the latter case occurring if thepre-stretching is greater than stretching during conformation).

In the first category of processes shown in FIGS. 1A and 2, the step ofmodifying the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon occurs prior to the step of contacting the transfer material 22with the surface 12 of the article 10. More specifically, prior to thestep of contacting, portions of the transfer component 24 are drawn intothe cavities 42 of the conforming component 40 to modify the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon.

FIGS. 4A to 4C are enlarged views of a variation of the cavities 42 ofthe conforming component 40 of the apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2. InFIGS. 4A to 4C, the cavities 42 are shown as being in stationary formingcomponents 40, rather than in the form of a continuous belt as shown inFIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the three-dimensional article 10 is outside thecavity 42, and the transfer component 24 is brought between the cavity42 and the article 10. The transfer component 24 is provided with thetransfer material 22 thereon facing outward from the cavity 42 towardthe article 10. FIG. 4A shows the initial stage of drawing and deforming(modifying) a portion of the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon into the cavity 42 in the direction of the arrowsusing vacuum. FIG. 4B shows the portion of the transfer component 24with the transfer material 22 thereon drawn completely into the cavity42 so that the back surface 24B of the transfer component 24 is flushwith the surface of the cavity 42. FIG. 4C shows that the article 10 isbrought into alignment with the cavity 42 so that at least the targetportion of the surface 12 of the article 10 is within the cavity 42 andis in contact with the transfer material 22. This places theoutwardly-facing adhesive 52 shown in FIG. 3 (or, if no adhesive isused, the ink component 54 having adhesive properties) in contact withthe target surface of the article 10.

It may then be desired to take additional optional steps to furtherconform the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereonto the surface 12 of the article 10. This may be done by pulling thetransfer component 24 toward the article 10, or exerting a pushing forceon the back surface 24B of the transfer component 24, or by acombination of such forces. The following figures show severalnon-limiting ways of further conforming the transfer component 24 withthe transfer material 22 thereon to the surface 12 of the article 10.

FIG. 5 shows one non-limiting embodiment for further conforming thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to thesurface 12 of the article 10. In this embodiment, the transfer component24 with the transfer material 22 thereon is further conformed to thesurface 12 of the article 10 by exerting a pushing force on the backsurface 24B of the transfer component 24 using air pressure, P, througha plurality of passageways such as conduits 66. In some versions of thisembodiment, at least some of the conduits 66 can be used to draw thetransfer component 24 into the cavity 42 during the steps shown in FIGS.4A to 4C. In some variations of such an embodiment, it is not necessarythat the passageways be linear as shown in FIG. 5. The element with thecavity 42 therein can have passageways in any suitable configuration.For example, such an element may comprise a sintered cavity, or a porouscavity. Following the application of air pressure, the transfer material22, may more closely conform to the contours of the surface 12 of thearticle 10.

Referring back to FIG. 2, if the adhesive 52 (or, the ink componenthaving adhesive properties) is of a type that requires curing to fullyadhere to the surface 12 of the article 10, the adhesive or inkcomponent, as the case may be, can be cured by the energy source 50Badjacent to the cavity 42. This adheres the transfer material 22 to thesurface 12 of the article 10. Such a curing step can be used after thearticle 10 is brought into contact with the transfer component 24 withthe transfer material 22 thereon (such as is shown in FIG. 4C), or afterany of the embodiments contemplated herein for bringing the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon into closer contactwith the surface 12 of the article 10 such as after the optional stepshown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows another non-limiting embodiment for bringing the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon into closer contactwith the surface 12 of the article 10. In this embodiment, this is doneby pulling the transfer component 24 toward the article 10. In thisembodiment, a component 70 comprising a closed chamber 72 is broughtadjacent to the transfer component 24 in order to form a substantiallyair tight seal against the portion of the conforming component 40 withthe cavity 42 therein. In order to bring the component 70 with theclosed chamber 72 into position, in some cases, it may first benecessary to move the conveyor 30 away from the transfer component 24.Alternatively, the component 70 comprising the closed chamber 72 couldbe part of the conveyor 30. Then, a vacuum, V, is drawn through conduits74 in the component 70 comprising the closed chamber 72. The vacuum Vexerts a pulling force on the transfer component 24 to further conformthe portion of the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon to the surface 12 of the article 10.

FIGS. 7A to 7C show another embodiment of the first category ofprocesses. This embodiment utilizes a conforming component with adifferent configuration that is capable of applying a transfer material22 to multiple portions of the surface of an article 10. There areseveral steps in carrying out this embodiment. First, the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon is formed into a tubehaving an interior. The transfer material 22 is located on the interiorsurface of the tube. The initial diameter, D1, of the tube should beless than the cross-sectional dimension, D, of the article 10. (In FIG.7A, this initial step has already been completed.) As shown in FIG. 7A,the tube-shaped transfer component 24 is then placed into a component 80having a cavity 82 that substantially surrounds the transfer component24 on all sides. As shown in FIG. 7A, the transfer component 24 is thenexpanded by drawing it against the sides of the cavity 82 using vacuum.As shown in FIG. 7B, the article 10 is inserted into the cavity 82inside the tube-shaped transfer component 24. The vacuum or other forcedrawing the tube-shaped transfer component 24 against the sides of thecavity 82 is released. This causes the tube-shaped transfer component 24to contact and closely conform to the surface of the article 10. Thetransfer component 24 then releases the transfer material 22,transferring the same to the surface 12 of the article 10. The article10 is then removed from the cavity as shown in FIG. 7C. This embodimentprovides the advantage that it can apply the transfer material 22 ontoall sides of an article (360° around the article).

III. Second Category of Processes.

FIG. 8 shows another type of an apparatus 220 and method in which thetransfer component 24 and the articles 10 may be brought into contactwith each other. The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 can be considered to bean example of the second category of processes shown in the flow chartof FIG. 1B.

As shown in FIG. 8, the apparatus 220 comprises a transfer component 24,a component providing a support surface for supporting the transfercomponent while printing such as cylinder 25, a material depositiondevice 26, an optional adhesive deposition device 28, a conveyor (notshown), and several spaced apart constraining components 90. Theconstraining components may be designated generally by reference number90, or more specifically as 90A and 90B. The articles 10, the apparatus220 orientation (horizontal, vertical, or other orientation), thecomponents of the apparatus 220 shown in FIG. 8, including the transfercomponent 24, the deposition device 26 (and material(s) depositedthereby), the optional adhesive deposition device 28, and the conveyormay have any of the properties, or be in any of the forms, and includeany of the optional additional devices (such as optional decorationstation(s), and energy sources) described in preceding sections of thisDetailed Description. Therefore, a description of these components andtheir properties will not be repeated herein.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the transfer component 24 is in theform of a web having portions that may be maintained in tension byspaced apart constraining components 90. In this type of apparatus 220,the articles 10 are pushed into the transfer component 24 in order toconform the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereonto the surface 12 of the article 10. FIG. 8 shows a transfer component24 which runs along only one side of the articles. In other embodiments,two transfer components can be provided wherein a transfer component isprovided on both sides of the article.

The constraining components 90 can be any suitable type of componentsthat are capable of maintaining a portion of the transfer component 24in tension so that the article 10 can be moved into the constrainedportion of the transfer component 24 to conform the transfer component24 to a portion of the surface 12 of the article 10. The portion of thetransfer component may be pulled taut. In other cases, the portion ofthe transfer component need only be held in a manner that providesresistance when the article is pushed into the constrained portion ofthe transfer component 24. The constraining components 90 may alsoensure that any stretching of the constrained portion of the transfercomponent 24 during the conformation step is isolated so that adjacentportions of the transfer component 24 are not stretched. In a continuousprocess, the constraining components 90 may also be capable of allowingthe transfer component 24 to move in the machine direction.

Suitable constraining components 90 include, but are not limited to:constraining blocks, clamps, and frames (the latter which may have aconfiguration similar to a picture frame). In the embodiment shown inFIG. 8, the constraining components 90 comprise constraining blocks inwhich each of the constraining components 90 comprises a firstconstraining component or first block such as first side (or front)block 90A and a second constraining component or second block such assecond side (or back) block 90B. When the constraining components 90Aand 90B are viewed from the side (looking in the cross-machine directionperpendicular to the surface of the transfer component 24), they mayhave the appearance of spaced bars. Such spaced bars may be orientedparallel to the plane of the transfer component 24 and be positionedbetween the spaced apart transfer materials 22.

In other embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 9, the constrainingcomponents 90 can be in the configuration of a frame. In such a case,portions of the constraining components 90 will also be located aboveand below the transfer material 22 to form a frame around the transfermaterial 22, in addition to bars between the spaced apart transfermaterials 22. More specifically, two spaced apart first sideconstraining components 90A can be connected at or near their ends by apair of spaced apart machine-direction oriented components 90C.Likewise, two spaced apart second side constraining components 90B canbe connected at or near their ends by a pair of spaced apartmachine-direction oriented components 90D. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 9, the articles 10 are conveyed by an article conveyor 94 that haselements 96 and 98 for engaging the ends, such as the top and bottom ofan article 10. In operation, the transfer component 24 will be fedbetween the two frames 90A and 90B. The article conveyor 94 will pushthe article 10 into the transfer component 24 to conform the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to the surface of thearticle 10. Such embodiments would provide the advantage that the framestructure may be used to isolate the stretching of the constrainedportion of the transfer component 24 in all directions.

The constraining components 90 may be joined to a constraining componentconveyor 92 that moves the first and second constraining components 90Aand 90B in the machine direction. The constraining component conveyor 92can travel in the machine direction with the transfer component 24. Thetransfer component 24 is fed between the opposing first and secondblocks 90A and 90B. The first and second blocks 90A and 90B may bemovable toward and away from each other to clamp the transfer component24 therebetween. The first and second constraining components 90A and90B may also be movable relative to adjacent pairs of first and secondconstraining components 90A and 90B so that they may be adjusted toplace the proper amount of tension on the portion of the transfercomponent 24 that spans between adjacent constraining components 90. Theconstraining components 90 isolate a portion of the transfer component24 so that when an article 10 is pushed into the isolated portion of thetransfer component 24, only the isolated portion of the transfercomponent 24 is stretched, and the adjacent portions of the transfercomponent 24 are not stretched.

Prior to and after clamping, there may be relative motion between thetransfer component 24 and the constraining components 90. The transfercomponent 24 may be moved past the constraining components 90 at aconstant velocity, or the velocity of the transfer component 24 may bevaried, if desired. The movement of the transfer component 24 may becontinuous, or if desired, intermittent. The constraining components 90will be moving at the same velocity as the transfer component 24 afterthe constraining components are clamped onto the transfer component 24.After clamping, the transfer component 24 and constraining componentconveyor 92 may move at a constant velocity, or the velocity of thetransfer component 24 may be varied, if desired. The movement of thetransfer component 24 and constraining component conveyor 92 may becontinuous, or if desired, intermittent. The article 10 will begenerally moving in the machine direction as well, but may also have arelative velocity towards the transfer component 24 until fullycontacting the transfer component 24. After fully contacting, thearticle 10 and the transfer component 24 may have no relative motion butmay travel together in the machine direction until the transfer iscomplete.

FIG. 10A shows an article 10 being brought into position (such as by aconveyor) in proximity with a portion along the length of the transfercomponent 24 that spans between two adjacent pairs of constrainingcomponents 90A and 90B. FIG. 10B shows the article 10 being pushed intothis portion of the transfer component 24 in order to conform thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to thesurface 12 of the article 10. The article 10 can be pushed into thetransfer component 24 by any suitable mechanism. For example, a conveyorsimilar to conveyor 30 shown in FIG. 2 can be used to push the article10 into the transfer component 24. Such a conveyor can comprise a firstportion that is angled to bring the articles 10 into position along apath similar to the path along which the articles 10 are shown as movingin FIG. 8. At the location where the article 10 contacts the transfercomponent 24, the conveyor can comprise a second portion that runsparallel with the transfer component 24 and the constraining componentconveyor 92 until the transfer is complete. Alternatively, the conveyorcan be in the configuration of article conveyor 94 shown in FIG. 9. Inother embodiments, a pushing or translating mechanism can be used topush the article 10 into the transfer component 24. Such a mechanism maybe joined to the article conveyor, or it can comprise a mechanismadjacent to the article 10 when the article 10 is in aligned with thedesired portion of the transfer component 24. Suitable pushing ortranslating mechanisms include, but are not limited to: air nozzles, andelements or rams that are connected to a servomotor or a linear motor.

As in the case of the first category of processes, it may also bedesirable to further conform the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon to the surface 12 of the article 10 in the secondcategory of processes. FIG. 11 shows one non-limiting embodiment forbringing the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereoninto closer contact with the surface 12 of the article 10. In thisembodiment, the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22thereon is brought into closer contact with the surface 12 of thearticle 10 by exerting a pushing force on the back surface 24B of thetransfer component 24 using air pressure, P.

FIG. 12 shows a non-limiting embodiment for bringing the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon into closer contactwith the surface 12 of the article 10 by pulling the transfer component24 toward the article 10. In this embodiment, a component 100 comprisinga closed chamber 102 is brought adjacent to the conforming component 24in order to form a substantially air tight seal around the portion ofthe transfer component 24 constrained between the pairs of constrainingcomponents 90A and 90B. Alternatively, the component 100 comprising theclosed chamber 102 could be part of the article conveyor. Then, avacuum, V, is drawn through conduits 104 in the component 100 comprisingthe closed chamber 102 The vacuum V exerts a pulling force on thetransfer component 24 to further conform the portion of the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon to the surface 12 ofthe article 10.

FIG. 13 shows another alternative mechanism for bringing the transfercomponent 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon into closer contactwith the surface 12 of an article 10. The mechanism shown in FIG. 13 isa digitally conforming wiper 110 that comprises plurality of elements112 protruding from a holder 114. This mechanism can be constructedsimilarly to a profile gauge. The elements 112 may be extendable fromand retractable into the holder 114. The elements 112 can be in anysuitable configuration including in the configuration of pins withrounded ends. The elements 112 may be made of any suitable materialincluding, but not limited to metal or plastic. When a relatively thinand flexible transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereonis placed between the mechanism 110 shown in FIG. 13 and an article 10with the transfer material 22 on the transfer component 24 facing thearticle 10, the mechanism can be used to further conform the transfercomponent 24 and transfer material 22 to the surface 12 of the article10. The mechanism can vary the position of the elements 112 to conformthe transfer component to different portions of the surface 12 of thearticle 10 as the article and the transfer component 24 are movedrelative to the mechanism. In some cases, the mechanism, such as thedigitally conforming wiper 110 can be stationary. In other cases, themechanism 110 may move along or relative to the surface of the article10 to squeegee out the entrapped air between the transfer material 22and the surface 12 of the article 10.

FIG. 14 shows another alternative mechanism 120 for bringing thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon in closercontact with the surface 12 of the article 10. This mechanism 120comprises a plurality of articulating wipers 122 that are operativelyassociated with a cam 124. Only one wiper 122 is visible when viewedfrom the direction shown in FIG. 14. However, it understood that thereare a plurality of similar wipers 122 behind the wiper shown (in adirection into the page). The wipers 122 may have a cam follower 126thereon. The wipers may have a fixed end 122A and a free end 122B thatis movable to follow the configuration of the surface of the article 10.The cam follower 126 interacts with a rotatable cam 124 that isconfigured to follow the configuration of the target surface of thearticle 10. The article 10 may rotate such as in the direction of thecurved arrow shown in FIG. 14, or it may be movable in translationrelative to the free end 122B of the wiper 122 (such as shown by thestraight arrow). If it is desired to change to articles of a differentconfiguration, this mechanism 120 can be adapted to work with articlesof the new configuration by replacing the cam 124 with a cam thatcorresponds to the configuration of the new articles.

FIG. 15 shows another mechanism 130 for bringing the transfer component24 with the transfer material 22 thereon in closer contact with thesurface 12 of the article 10. This mechanism 130 comprises an airpressure wiper. This mechanism uses air pressure in the form of a lineof air that contacts the back surface 24B of the transfer component 24as article 10 traverses by the mechanism 130. The mechanism 130 can, insome cases, be stationary. In other cases, the mechanism 130 may movealong or relative to the surface of the article 10 to squeegee out theentrapped air between the transfer material 22 and the surface 12 of thearticle 10.

FIG. 16 shows another alternative mechanism 140 for bringing thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon in closercontact with the surface 12 of the article 10. This mechanism 140 is anair pressure wiper. This mechanism 140 comprises an air source 142, aplurality of separate air hoses 144 and nozzles 146. The air nozzles 146can each be connected to the air source 142 by the flexible air hoses144. The air nozzles 146 may be held by a holder that allows themarticulate toward and way from the surface 12 of the article (in thedirection of the arrow). The mechanism shown in FIG. 16 is similar tothe mechanism shown in FIG. 13 in that it is capable of exertingpressure at a plurality of locations on the back surface 24B of arelatively thin and flexible transfer component 24 that is placedbetween the mechanism and an article 10 in order to conform the transfercomponent 24 and transfer material 22 to the surface of the article. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 16, however, exerts pressure using a pluralityof air jets rather than with mechanical elements as in the mechanismshown in FIG. 13. Such a mechanism can, in some cases, be stationary.Alternatively, it can move along or relative to the surface of thearticle 10 to squeegee out the entrapped air between the transfermaterial 22 and the surface 12 of the article 10.

FIG. 17 shows another alternative mechanism 150 for bringing thetransfer component 24 and transfer material 22 into closer contact withthe surface 12 of the article in the process and apparatus shown in FIG.8. This mechanism 150 exerts a pushing force on the back surface 24B ofthe transfer component 24 using a compliant element 152. The compliantelement 152 can be any suitable type of component including, but notlimited to a compliant material such as MEMORY FOAM®, or an inflatablebladder (shown in an inflated condition).

FIGS. 18A and 18B show another alternative mechanism 160 for bringingthe transfer component 24 and transfer material 22 into closer contactwith the surface 12 of the article in the process and apparatus shown inFIG. 8. In this embodiment, the mechanism 160 comprises a shaped back-upelement 162 having a surface 164 that is configured to conform thetransfer component 24 and transfer material 22 thereon to the shape ofthe target surface 12 of the article 10. FIG. 18A shows the transfercomponent 24 in partial conformance with the surface of the articlebefore the step of pressing the shaped back-up element 162 against theback surface 24B of the transfer component 24. FIG. 18B shows the secondstep of using the shaped back-up element 162 shown in FIG. 18A tofurther conform the transfer component 24 and substance 22 thereon tothe shape of the surface 12 of the article 10.

IV. Third Category of Processes.

FIG. 19 shows another apparatus 320 and method for applying a transfermaterial 22 onto the surface 12 of the articles 10. The embodiment shownin FIG. 19 can be considered to be an example of the third category ofprocesses shown in the flow chart of FIG. 1C.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 19, the transfer component 24 with thetransfer material 22 thereon is brought into contact with the surface 12of the article 10 by passing the transfer component 24 with the transfermaterial 22 thereon through a nip 170 that is formed by the surface 12of the article 10 and the surface 174 of a shaped element, such asshaped die (or simply “die”) 172.

As shown in FIG. 19, the apparatus 320 comprises a transfer component24, a component providing a support surface for supporting the transfercomponent while printing such as cylinder 25, a substance depositiondevice 26, an optional adhesive deposition device 28, and shaped die172. The articles 10 can be moved into the nip 170 by any suitable typeof conveyor. The articles 10, the apparatus 320 orientation (horizontal,vertical, or other), the components of the apparatus 320 shown in FIG.19, including the transfer component 24, the substance deposition device26 (and substance deposited thereby), optional adhesive depositiondevice 28, optional energy source(s), optional decoration station(s),and the conveyor may have any of the properties described in precedingsections of this Detailed Description, and, therefore, a description ofthese components and their properties will not be repeated herein. Thetransfer component 24 is shown in FIG. 19 in the form of an endless beltthat travels around the cylinder 25 and the shaped die 172.

The shaped die 172 can be any suitable component that is capable offorming a nip 170 with the surface 12 of an article 10 and is configuredto force the transfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereoninto close contact with the target surface of the article 10. The shapeddie 172 can be of any suitable configuration. The shaped die 172 canhave a surface 174 comprising portions that are planar, concave, convex,or combinations thereof. The overall configuration of the shaped die 172will depend on the motion that the die 172 undergoes during the process.

There can be any suitable type of relative motion between the article 10and the shaped die 172. The articles 10 may either be translated orrotated through the nip 170. The shaped die 172 may also either betranslated or rotated through the nip 170. The articles 10 and theshaped die 172 may be movable by the same type of motion (e.g., both mayrotate; or both may translate). In other embodiments, the type ofmovement of the articles 10 and the shaped die 172 may differ. Forexample, the articles 10 may move by translation, and the shape die 172may move by rotation. Alternatively, the articles 10 may rotate and theshaped die 172 may move by translation.

As shown by the solid arrows in FIG. 19, the shaped die 172 may berotatable about an axis A_(D), and the articles 10 may move intranslation. Alternatively, as shown by the dashed arrows, the shapeddie 172 may move in translation, and the articles 10 may be rotatableabout an axis such as their own axis. In the latter case, the die 172may be in the configuration of a translating plate. The plate may betranslated to match the rotational surface speed of the article 10.

FIG. 20 shows a variation of the apparatus 320 shown in FIG. 19 in whichthe target surface 12 of the article 10 has a concavity 14 therein. Inthis embodiment, a portion of the surface 174 of the shaped die 172 maycomprise a protrusion 176 that protrudes outwardly away from the axisA_(D). The protrusion 176 is substantially configured to force thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon into closecontact within the concavity 14 in the surface 12 of the article 10. Ashaped die 172 with such a configuration is useful where article 10 hasnon-cylindrical cross section.

FIGS. 21A and 21B show two examples of apparatuses of the type shown inFIG. 19 that have shaped elements that are symmetrical about their axisof rotation A_(D) (axially-symmetrical dies) for maintaining thetransfer component 24 in contact with the article 10. FIG. 21A shows anembodiment in which the nip 170 is formed between an article 10 having asurface with a concave curvature and a shaped die 172 comprises anelement with a convex curvature. FIG. 21B shows an alternativeembodiment in which the nip is formed between an article 10 having asurface with a convex curvature and a shaped die in which at least aportion of the shaped die has a concave configuration. If the articlesin these embodiments 10 have other than a circular cross-section (e.g.,are oval), the axis AA of the article and/or the die can be mounted sothat they can move towards and/or away from each other as the articleand the die rotate to adjust to the configuration of the article.

The apparatus 20 may further comprise one or more additional stations ordevices that are positioned at any desired location along the articleconveyor. Such additional devices may include, but are not limited topre-treatment devices for pre-treating the surface of the articles, suchas flame treatment, corona treatment, and plasma jet treatment devices.

Numerous variations of the embodiments described herein are possible.For example, FIG. 22 shows a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8which has two transfer components 24 and 24′ which are capable oftransferring a separate transfer material to two portions of the surface12 and 12′ of an article 10. The articles 10, the apparatus 420orientation (horizontal, vertical, or other orientation), the componentsof the apparatus 220 shown in FIG. 8, including the transfer component24, the deposition device 26 (and material(s) deposited thereby), theoptional adhesive deposition device 28, and the constraining componentsmay have any of the properties, or be in any of the forms, and includeany of the optional additional devices (such as optional decorationstation(s), and energy sources) described in conjunction with FIG. 8.Therefore, a description of these components and their properties willnot be repeated herein.

The portions of the surface 12 and 12′ may be opposing portions of thesurface (e.g., on opposite sides of the article) and/or portions of thesurface that may be spaced apart. The opposite sides can, for example,be the front and the back of the article; or, two different sides of thearticle. In such cases, or in other cases, however, some or all portionsof the surface 12 and 12′ to which the apparatus is capable oftransferring material need not be opposing portions, and some or allportions of the surface 12 and 12′ may be contiguous and, thus notspaced apart. In one non-limiting example of the former, one transfermaterial could be applied to at least a portion of the front of thearticle and may also wrap around a portion of the bottom of the article.Another transfer material could be applied to at least a portion of theback of the article and also wrap around a portion of the bottom of thearticle. Since both transfer materials wrap around a portion of thebottom of the article, the portions that wrap around the bottom of thearticle would not be considered to be on opposing surfaces of thearticle since they would both be disposed on the bottom of the article.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, two transfer components 24 and 24′are provided, with each one alongside one of the sides of the articles10, and the articles therebetween. It should be understood that thetransfer components 24 and 24′ can be brought into contact with thearticles 10 from different angles including but not limited to pivotingfrom the side of the articles, pivoting from the top of the articles,pivoting from the bottom of the articles, or through parallelengagement. Once the transfer components are brought into contact withthe articles 10, a vacuum port can be inserted between the two transfercomponents 24 and 24′, and this is used to draw both transfer componentsinto closer contact with the surface of the article. The embodimentshown in FIG. 22 can be used in a continuous high speed process in whichthe multiple articles are being decorated simultaneously, but onprogressive timing (each article being processed is at different stateof process than neighboring articles).

FIG. 22A shows a variation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 which iscapable of transferring a transfer material to two portions of thesurface 12 and 12′ of an article 10. The portion of the apparatus 420shown in FIG. 22 that is at the top of FIG. 22A is similar to theapparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2. The conveyor at the bottom of FIG. 2 is,however, replaced with a second conforming component 40′ having a seriesof second cavities 42′ therein. The second transfer component 24′ may bebrought into contact with a second surface 12′ of the articles 10. Inthe case of the apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 22A, the second transfercomponent 24′ may be brought into contact with the second portion of thesurface of the articles 10 by first modifying the second transfercomponent 24′ by drawing/deforming a portion of the second transfercomponent 24′ with a second transfer material 22′ thereon into one ofthe second cavities 42′ of the second conforming component 40′ such thatthe second transfer material 22′ is facing the second portion of thesurface 12′ of the article 10. The article 10 is then brought intoalignment so that the target portion of the second portion of thesurface 12′ of the article 10 is within the second cavity 42′. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 22A can be thought of as a walking beam typeexecution which will decorate multiple articles on identical timing.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 22 and 22A, the articles 10 may beconveyed between the first and second transfer components 24 and 24′ byany suitable type of conveyor 30. A portion of the article holders ofone type of conveyor that can be used is shown in greater detail in FIG.23. As shown in FIG. 23, the articles 10 can be held at their top andbottom so that their sides can be contacted by the transfer components24 and 24′. The base holder or platform can be of any suitable size andshape. In the embodiment shown, the dimensions of the base holder aresmaller than that of the base of the article. This provides clearance sothat the transfer material may be applied to and/or wrapped at leastpartially around onto the bottom surface of the article.

The apparatuses shown in FIGS. 22 and 22A are only two examples ofapparatuses suitable for transferring a substance to two portions of thesurface of an article. Any of the other apparatuses described herein maybe similarly modified for transferring a substance to two or moreportions of the surface of an article.

FIG. 22B shows an embodiment in which the conforming component 40 isbrought into the process at a single location where it makes contactwith a single article. As shown in FIG. 22B, the articles, such asbottles 10, may be brought into the process by a conveyor, such as arotating conveyor. The conveyor brings the articles 10 into contact witha transfer component 24 that is disposed between the articles 10 and theconforming component 40. In this embodiment, the conforming components40 are shown in the form of generic rectangular boxes. The rectangularboxes represent a conforming component 40 of any suitable type orconfiguration. Such an embodiment is particularly suitable for using acompressible conforming component such as a foam backer, or a conformingmechanism such as air jets and the other conforming mechanisms such asthose shown in FIGS. 13-17.

FIG. 24 shows a portion of another variation of an apparatus 520 that issuitable for applying a transfer material to separate locations on thesurface 12 of an article 10. The apparatus shown in FIG. 24 has theadvantage that it is able to apply separate transfer materials 22 todifferent parts of the surface 12 of an article 10 using a single set ofdeposition devices 26. The apparatus also provides a great deal offlexibility in terms of the portions of the surface 12 of an article 10to which the separate transfer materials 22 are applied. In some cases,the apparatus shown in FIG. 24 can apply a transfer material 22 tospaced apart locations on two parts of the same side of the surface 12of an article 10. In other cases, the apparatus shown in FIG. 24 canapply a transfer material 22 to separate locations on two differentsides of the surface 12 of an article 10.

In this embodiment, the transfer component 24 may be transported past aprinting station comprising a substance deposition device 26. Thetransfer component 24 may then be transported past an optional curingdevice, and an optional adhesive application device (similar to thoseshown in the other drawing figures herein). Following the application ofthe desired substances to the transfer component 24, the transfercomponent 24 is separated longitudinally into separate webs. Thetransfer component 24 can be separated into separate webs in anysuitable manner. In some cases, the transfer component 24 may comprisemultiple side-by-side webs that are merely diverted such as by turningbars 178 to separate the same. In other cases, the transfer component 24may be slit to separate the webs. In this case, the first web, upper web24 ¹, applies the transfer material 22 to a first portion, such as anupper portion, on the surface of an article 10. The second web, lowerweb 24 ², applies the transfer material 22 to a second portion, such asa lower portion, on the surface of an article 10.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 24 is not limited to separating thetransfer component 24 into two separate webs. The transfer component 24may be separated into three or more separate webs. In addition, theseparate webs are not required to be of equal width as measured in thecross-machine direction. The widths of the separate webs can be in anysuitable ratios relative to each other. This embodiment is also notlimited to applying the transfer material 22 to an upper portion and alower portion on the article. The two portions on the surface of thearticle 10 only need to be separated by a greater distance than theywere during the application of the substance(s) on the transfercomponent 24. This embodiment provides the advantage that a singleprinting station can create a transfer material 22 for spaced apartlocations on the surface of an article 10.

In addition, depending on the arrangement of the turning bars 178, theembodiment shown in FIG. 24 can be used to transfer a transfer material22 to two opposing sides (such as 12 and 12′ in FIG. 22) of an article10.

FIG. 25 shows a further optional process variation for removingentrained air between the target surface 12 of an article 10 and thetransfer material 22. Such a process variation can be used, for example,in the first and second categories of processes described herein. Thisvariation is particularly useful in avoiding trapping air bubblesbetween the transfer material 22 and the surface 12 of the article 10.In this process variation, an air tight chamber 180 is formed around thetransfer component 24. In the variation shown in FIG. 25, this may bedone by providing two components 182 and 184 that form a closed chamber.In general, a balanced vacuum is created on both sides of the transfercomponent 24, and then air is removed between the transfer material 22and the surface 12 of the article 10 by adjusting the air pressure inthe different portions of the chamber 180 through ports 190 and 192.This optional process variation may be used regardless of whether thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon isimpervious to air, or air pervious, although air impervious transfercomponents 24 may be advantageous.

The particular embodiment shown in FIG. 25 is an example of the use ofthis process variation in the second category of processes describedherein. More specifically, in this embodiment, the transfer component 24is held in tension within the chamber 180. The article 10 is then pushedinto the transfer component 24 to conform the transfer component 24 withthe transfer material 22 thereon to the surface of the article 10.

While the vacuum is retained in the portion 186A of the chamberenclosing the first surface 24A of the transfer component 24 (thesurface adjacent to the article 10), the air pressure is increased inthe portion 186B of the chamber on the opposite surface 24B of thetransfer component 24. This provides additional force to push thetransfer component 24 against the surface 12 of the article 10. The airpressure can be increased in the portion 186B of the chamber on theopposite surface 24B of the transfer component 24 in any suitablemanner, including by venting this portion of the chamber to theatmosphere, and by adding air to this portion of the chamber throughport 192. In some cases, it may be desired to have a slight positivepressure differential in the portion 186B of the chamber on the oppositesurface 24B of the transfer component 24 so that the transfer component24 bends toward the article 10 before the article 10 is pressed into thetransfer component 24.

Any curing of the transfer material 22 (or portions thereof such ascurable adhesives or varnishes) on the surface 12 of the article 10 canthen take place, such as by UV light, etc. In order to cure by UV light,the component 184 on the side of the transfer component 24 opposite thearticle 10 can have a window 194 therein that is made of a transparentmaterial such as glass, PLEXIGLAS®, or other transparent material. Thetransfer component 24 should also be transparent to UV light. In casesin which the transfer material 22 comprises a heat curable component,this component can be cured by heat using a heating element locatedinside the chamber 186. Of course, it the adhesive is not of a type thatrequires curing by an energy source, such as a pressure sensitiveadhesive or a 2-part adhesive chemistry, then it is not necessary to useany energy source. The transfer component 24 transfers the transfermaterial 22 to the surface 12 of the article 10 and is then removed fromcontact with the surface 12 of the article 10. This optional processvariation may reduce the amount of air that is trapped between thetransfer component 24 with the transfer material 22 thereon and thesurface 12 of the article 10 so that there are no visible air bubblesafter the transfer material 22 is adhered to the article 10.

In the case of the first category of processes, similar adjustments tothe pressure on either side of the transfer component 24 can be made byusing an element 40 with a cavity 24 therein such as that shown anddescribed in FIG. 6 in conjunction with a component 70 comprising aclosed chamber 72 as shown and described in FIG. 7.

The methods and apparatuses described herein are particularly useful fortransfer printing on articles with curved surfaces. For instance,instead of attaching a pre-printed label to an article such as a bottle,the apparatus and method can be used to transfer the subject matter ofthe label on the article. Of course, the apparatus and method are notlimited to printing subject matter which serves as a label on thearticles. The apparatus and method are also useful in indirectlyprinting designs and the like on articles.

The transfer processes and apparatuses described herein may provide anumber of advantages. It should be understood, however, that suchadvantages are not required to be present unless set forth in theappended claims. The processes and apparatuses may be capable ofdecorating portions of articles that are currently difficult to print bydirect printing, or transfer processes. Specifically, the processesdescribed herein can be capable of transferring a transfer material fromthe transfer component to articles with complex three-dimensional shapesand/or which have surface features that differ in height (or depth) bymore than a limited extent. The transfer processes described hereinprovide several advantages over conventional compressible pads that areused for transferring materials, including the advantage that thethickness of the transfer component 24 does not vary extensively whentransferring the transfer material to an article, and thus reduces andvariations in the printed image that may occur over time due to wear ona compressible pad. The transfer process described herein may alsoprovide advantages over methods that use a conventional transfer pad totransfer the material in which air can be trapped between a depressionin the surface of the article and the transfer pad. These and at leastsome of the other distinctions and advantages over various known methodsand articles produced by such methods are described below.

The transfer methods and articles described herein provide advantagesover heat transfer label processes and screen printing processes and thearticles formed thereby in that heat transfer label processes and screenprinting processes are not believed to be capable of forming acontinuous image on multiple portions of the surface of athree-dimensional article as described herein. The transfer methods andarticles described herein provide advantages over vacuum sublimationprocesses and hydrographic processes and the articles formed thereby.The inks applied to articles by vacuum sublimation processes penetrateinto the surface of the articles, and the inks applied to articles byhydrographic (water transfer printing) processes are etched into thesurface of the articles. This makes these articles less suitable orunsuitable for recycling (which requires removal of the inks) than thearticles formed by the transfer methods described herein on which theinks are applied on top of the surface (and may follow any contours onthe surface, such as small waviness which may be present on plasticsurfaces), but do not penetrate into the surface, and thus can besubstantially completely removed for recycling and/or during a recyclingprocess.

The transfer methods and articles described herein provide additionaladvantages over hydrographic processes and the articles formed thereby.Such processes are relatively slow and involve: preparing the surface ofthe substrate; priming the surface; painting the surface; and,processing the substrate by preparing a printed water-soluble polyvinylalcohol film which is believed to utilize solvent-based ink, placing thefilm in a water dipping tank, applying an activator solution to the filmto soften the base coat on the substrate, dipping the substrate into thewater on top of the film to transfer the printing from the film to thesubstrate, rinsing and drying the substrate, and applying a clearcoating. The transfer methods described herein take place in anon-aqueous environment in which no part of the article is at leastpartially submerged in water which require that the article be rinsedand dried. The articles described herein may be free of a softenablebase coat and an activator (e.g., residual activator).

The transfer methods and articles described herein are alsodistinguishable from pre-printed thermoforms. Pre-printed thermoformsare articles that are typically made of plastic. After the article isprinted, the article with the printing thereon is thermoformed (placedin an oven and formed) into the desired configuration. As a result, thearticle and the printing thereon are typically stretched the same amountduring the thermoforming process. In the case of the transfer methodsand articles described herein, the article, such as a blow moldedplastic container, may have been stretched during formation (during theblow molding process). The transfer material may be stretched duringapplication to the surface of the article. As a result, the plasticcontainer will typically be stretched a different amount than thetransfer material.

After the transfer material 22 is transferred to the article(s) 10, thearticle(s) may be transferred by the conveyor to another conveyor orapparatus for further processing. For example, if the article(s) 10 arebottles, the bottles may be transferred from the conveyor to a filler,and capper.

The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood asbeing strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead,unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean boththe recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding thatvalue. For example, a dimension disclosed as “90° ” is intended to mean“about 90° ”.

It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation giventhroughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation,as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein.Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specificationwill include every higher numerical limitation, as if such highernumerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numericalrange given throughout this specification will include every narrowernumerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as ifsuch narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.

All documents cited in the Detailed Description of the Invention are, inrelevant part, incorporated herein by reference; the citation of anydocument is not to be construed as an admission that it is prior artwith respect to the present invention. To the extent that any meaning ordefinition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaningor definition of the term in a document incorporated by reference, themeaning or definition assigned to the term in this written documentshall govern.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for applying a transfer material ontothe surface of a three-dimensional article comprising: providing atleast one three-dimensional article which has a surface; providing adeposition device; providing a transfer component with initialdimensions, a surface, and an initial configuration; depositing acurable ink onto a portion of the surface of the transfer component withthe deposition device to form a transfer material on the portion of thesurface of the transfer component, wherein the ink has adhesiveproperties; curing the ink; modifying the portion of the transfercomponent with the transfer material thereon to contact the surface ofthe article with the adhesive and conform the transfer component andtransfer material to at least a portion of the surface of thethree-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material ontothe surface of the article.
 2. The process of claim 1, comprisingapplying an adhesive to the cured ink.
 3. The process of claim 2,wherein the adhesive comprises at least one of a UV-curable adhesive, anelectron beam-curable adhesive, a pressure sensitive adhesive, athermally activated adhesive, a multi-part self-curing adhesive.
 4. Theprocess of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is uncured when it initiallycontacts the surface of the article, and further comprising a step ofcuring the adhesive after it contacts the surface of the article.
 5. Theprocess of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is partially cured when itinitially contacts the surface of the article, and further comprising astep of curing the adhesive after it contacts the surface of thearticle.
 6. The process of claim 2, wherein the adhesive is uncured whenthe transfer material is transferred onto the surface of the article,and further comprising a step of curing the adhesive after transferringthe transfer material onto the surface of the article.
 7. The process ofclaim 2, wherein the adhesive is partially cured when the transfermaterial is transferred onto the surface of the article, and furthercomprising a step of further curing the adhesive after transferring thetransfer material onto the surface of the article.
 8. The process ofclaim 1, wherein the transfer component with the transfer materialthereon is deformed prior to contacting the surface of the article. 9.The process of claim 1, wherein the transfer component with the transfermaterial thereon is deformed while contacting the surface of thearticle.
 10. A process for applying a transfer material onto the surfaceof a three-dimensional article comprising: providing at least onethree-dimensional article which has a surface; providing one or moredeposition devices; providing a transfer component with initialdimensions, a surface, and an initial configuration; depositing a inkonto a portion of the surface of the transfer component with the one ormore deposition devices; applying an adhesive to the ink to form atransfer material on the portion of the surface of the transfercomponent; curing the adhesive; modifying the portion of the transfercomponent with the transfer material thereon to contact the surface ofthe article with the adhesive and conform the transfer component andtransfer material to at least a portion of the surface of thethree-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material ontothe surface of the article.
 11. The process of claim 1, wherein the stepof modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfermaterial thereon to conform the transfer component with the transfermaterial thereon to at least a portion of the surface of thethree-dimensional article comprises stretching at least the portion ofthe transfer component with the transfer material thereon.
 12. Theprocess of claim 1, wherein the step of modifying the portion of thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon to at least aportion of the surface of the three-dimensional article comprisescontracting at least the portion of the transfer component with thetransfer material thereon.
 13. The process of claim 11, wherein theportion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon isstretched prior to contacting the surface of the article.
 14. Theprocess of claim 13, wherein the step of modifying the portion of thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform thetransfer component to at least a portion of the surface of thethree-dimensional article comprises: providing a conforming componentwith a cavity therein; drawing the portion of the transfer componentwith the transfer material thereon into the cavity with the transfermaterial facing outward; and, moving at least a portion of the articleinto the cavity so that a portion of the surface of the article contactsthe transfer material.
 15. The process of claim 1, wherein thedeposition device is a digital printing device, and the step ofdepositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component comprisesdigitally printing an image onto a portion of the transfer componentwith the printing device.
 16. The process of claim 15, wherein thedeposition device is in-line with the transfer process.
 17. A processfor applying a transfer material onto the surface of a three-dimensionalarticle comprising: providing at least one three-dimensional articlewhich has a surface; providing one or more deposition devices; providinga transfer component with initial dimensions, a surface, and an initialconfiguration; depositing a varnish onto a portion of the surface of thetransfer component with the one or more deposition devices; partiallycuring the varnish; depositing a ink onto a portion of the surface ofthe transfer component with the one or more deposition devices;modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfermaterial thereon to contact the surface of the article and conform thetransfer component and transfer material to at least a portion of thesurface of the three-dimensional article; fully curing the varnish; andtransferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article. 18.The process of claim 17, comprising applying an adhesive to the ink toform a transfer material on the portion of the surface of the transfercomponent;
 19. The process of claim 17, wherein the article is acontainer.
 20. The process of claim 17, wherein the article has aninterior that is at least partially hollow, wherein at least a portionof the surface of the article to which transfer material is to beapplied is flexible, and the process further comprises a step ofpressurizing the interior of the article prior to transferring thetransfer material onto the surface of the article so that the portion ofthe surface of the article to which a transfer material is to be appliedis less flexible.
 21. The process of claim 17, wherein the transfercomponent is a reusable component wherein after transferring thetransfer material onto a portion of the surface of a three-dimensionalarticle, the portion of the surface of the transfer component which hadthe transfer material thereon is again subjected to the steps of:modifying the initial dimensions and/or the initial configuration of theportion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon toconform the portion of the transfer component with the transfer materialthereon to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensionalarticle; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of thearticle.
 22. The process of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of thesurface of the transfer component is treated to facilitate the releaseof the transfer material therefrom.
 23. The process of claim 17, whereinthe transfer component, or at least the surface of the transfercomponent, comprises polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone, or someother low surface energy material with a surface energy less than 45dynes/cm.
 24. A process for applying a transfer material onto thesurface of a three-dimensional article comprising: providing at leastone three-dimensional article which has a surface; providing one or moredeposition devices; providing a transfer component with initialdimensions, a surface, and an initial configuration; depositing an inkonto a portion of the surface of the transfer component with the one ormore deposition devices; drying the ink; modifying the portion of thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon to contact thesurface of the article and conform the transfer component and transfermaterial to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensionalarticle; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of thearticle.
 25. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing amaterial onto a portion of the surface of the transfer component withthe deposition device comprises depositing at least one of a UV-curableink and an electron beam-curable ink.
 26. The process of claim 1,wherein the step of depositing a material onto a portion of the surfaceof the transfer component with the deposition device comprisesdepositing a metallic material.
 27. The process of claim 1, furthercomprising a step of enclosing the portion of the transfer componentwith the transfer material thereon and the article in a closed chamberand evacuating substantially all of the air between the portion of thetransfer component with the transfer material thereon and the surface ofthe article before transferring the transfer material onto the surfaceof the article wherein the transfer component is constrained in such away that a vacuum is drawn in the space between the article and thetransfer component to reduce the amount of air that is trapped betweenthe transfer component and the surface of the article so that there areno visible air bubbles between the transfer material and the surface ofthe article.